Gundam Wing Tapestry
by Manzai
Summary: AU - If Treize had won the war, would he be content with the world at his feet and a captive dragon at his side? Sally is about to find out just how much strong Wufei needs her help, especially when more than his life is at stake. BOOK 1 - COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

Tapestry – Prologue  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"You'll never see the like of it again, sir," the Bedouin gushed, eager to make a sale. His head bobbed up and down and he gestured grandly to the tapestry as if to a national treasure. "It is said to have been made by the gods themselves."  
  
"Mmm hmm." Trowa Barton's gaze slid across his companion's dusky face, one eyebrow raised in polite disbelief as he glanced at the carpet the man wanted to sell.  
  
Both were inside a hastily erected tent in a small Bedouin village, one that was actually no more than several small awnings and shelters scrabbled together on the side of a small, dusty road. While not appearing to be important, the road at the edge of the nondescript oasis led to one of OZ's main ground thoroughfares - and now there was a persistant rumor that the military organization was going to be active within the next few hours. Knowing that, the Arab seemed completely unsurprised that a young man had just appeared out of the desert, wandered over to his tent and asked to see his tapestries – and, in fact, had shown little interest in any others except for that particular one.  
  
The tapestry was richly colored, beautifully woven, and appeared incredibly old – as old as the heavens, as old as the stars, as old as Time, claimed the Bedouin. The idea of agelessness did not bother Trowa; his practiced eye could see the age and strength of the threads used. In fact, that served to authenticate the piece – and while his host did not realize it, he actually had the genuine article in his hands.   
  
The difficulty Trowa saw was with the tapestry itself – because, if he was reading it correctly, something was happening to one small section around one anchoring thread that could have far reaching implications for the rest of the entire piece.  
  
"It's unfinished," Trowa pointed out, gesturing to the section around a thick, anchoring bronze thread. Several other threads wrapped into the design – most notably a fiery red and a pure blue – were dangling from the bronze, as if waiting to make their own pattern. And the bronze, even though it was an anchoring thread for both the red and the blue, was obviously one that followed no predictable path.  
  
The man seemed unperterbed. "But that is why, my good sir, I can offer this extraordinary piece to you at a price that my own grandmother would beat me for offering to someone not in my own family." He leaned forward, leering into Trowa's face, the faint aroma of mint clinging to his breath. "Your woman, my good sir, could certainly complete this small section. Or I could lend you one of mine for just a few zuzuim more …"  
  
"No, thank you." Trowa studied the man from under the shock of hair trailing across half his cheek; and the Bedouin did not know why, but sudden thoughts of frigid, dark, underground caverns, completely filled with water, flooded his mind. The total blackness and the soul piercing cold of those alien places were enough to make him draw back from his customer in alarm.  
  
"I'll take it."   
  
Blinking, the Arab pulled his attention back to the young man rising from the bolsters on the floor, money in hand, his one visible eye shining mildly.  
  
"Yes – yes, sir, yes, sir," he babbled, bowing, taking the money before the foreigner changed his mind. "Permit me to wrap it for you, sir, it will just take a moment—"  
  
"No need." Trowa bent and gently rolled the carpet, then hoisted it to his shoulder in one smooth motion. "Thank you," he said, nodding. "I will let others know how honestly you dealt with me. You will find others coming to you to trade..."  
  
The Arab beamed at him again. "Oh, good sir, that is always appreciated. Won't you stay for some refreshments? I can have my servents bring some—"  
  
"I am sorry – I cannot stay. Thank you for your hospitality." The gundam pilot looked at him from the entrance of the tent, his body silhouetted against the brightness of the sun; and for a moment, the Bedouin thought there was something else standing there with the young man, something that overshadowed him—something with green, transluscent wings that stretched across the sky—  
  
Choking, the Arab shook his head and looked back at the entrance. Both the vision and the young man were gone.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* 


	2. Chapter 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 1  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The actions of the five Gundams were a direct reflection of the will of all the colonies. The Gundams were Mobile Suits created to deal with the threat posed to the colonies by OZ, a secret organization hidden inside the Federation Armed Forces. After Colony Year 195, OZ finally emerged as the leading force in history. OZ's leader, Treize Khushrenada, carried out massive operations to devastate and take over the Federation Armed Forces. Having been tricked into the confrontation, bloody battles between OZ and the colonies' five Mobile Suits began....  
  
...however...  
  
...as the gundam pilots and their supporters defiantly screamed and sprayed bullets at OZ, more than just general interest in their activities was kindled in the minds and souls of their opponents. It was precisely due to the fierceness of their battles, the challenge of their untamed spirits and their untapped potential as pure warriors that they they appeared so special... and desirable... to an elite few.   
  
And to those few beings who were aware, it became rather obvious rather quickly that a major elemental force – something far deeper and more insidious in scope than nearly any other power on Earth – had separated himself from the predictable patterns of human warfare and was now watching the newcomers, unfeigned predatory interest gleaming in his bronze eyes.  
  
As his considerable attention turned toward the pilots and those beings surrounding them, he narrowed his focus, honed his concentration ... and found an unexpected, priceless treasure...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Huge, smoking hulks that were blasted mobile suits littered the battlefield. The ruins of machines belonging to warriors less skilled than the Gundam pilots lay half buried in sand dunes for miles in every direction, vital electronic parts blown apart, exposed to the abrasive effects of sand and wind.  
  
Hardened OZ and rebel soldiers alike gaped in astonished shock when Dr. J's likeness flashed across the viewscreens of their mobile suits. And although those pilots did not know it, they were not alone; their plight was broadcast live to virtually every location on Earth, to anyone with a viable plasma screen. Dr. J's supporters - angry, cold-eyed colony rebels - literally pirated the airwaves, jammed all the signals across the globe they could and replaced them with their own.  
  
Immediately after the scientist's astounding declaration - that he was the only person attacking OZ, not the rest of the colonies - the perspective of the satellite feed changed. Dr. J's picture dissolved and gave way to a view of Gundam 01; its hatch opened and a slight male figure stepped out, his thin shoulders squared and set, his expression unreadable. A riot of dark brown hair covered his head and fell across eyes that were as steady and cool as if cast from stainless steel. Wedged firmly in his right hand with his thumb held directly over the button was a small detonator, its casing flipped open.  
  
"A boy..." Zechs Marqueis stared unblinking at the viewscreen, his hands stilled on Tallgeese's control board, his mouth completely dry. "That - little boy - that child - is Gundam 01's pilot?!"   
  
Very deliberately, Heero Yuy walked to the end of the catwalk and extended his right arm in front of his chest. With his chin raised and his face a mask of calm certainty, the pilot took a deep breath, locked his gaze on some remote area in front of his machine that only he could see and clearly intoned, "Mission. Acknowledged." There was no change of expression on his face - no flicker of fear, of relief, of anger, or even regret - as his thumb deliberately struck the detonator switch.  
  
Yuy's gundam exploded with a deafening roar. His body, hurled from the catwalk of the vessel by forces strong enough to rupture the ship's hull, tumbled violently in midair with millions of scalding pieces of gundanium alloy before plummeting to the ground. Chunks of debris and molten metal rained down on the desert, heated silver streaks ravaging the coarse sand of the dunes immediately below. The concussive force of the blast flattened nearly every structure in the immediate area that wasn't made of an amalgam created in outer space, designed to take that kind of punishment.  
  
The bystanders – those eyewitnesses in mobile suits and gundams and those watching via the satellite link — were struck dumb by the spectacle as the enormity of Yuy's casual sacrifice slowly bled into their consciousness.  
  
"The 01…" started Lieutenant Noin, her face turning a shade paler in the unearthly glow of the computer equipment .  
  
"….blew itself up…" finished Lady Une, staring. "Destroying the gundam in exchange for the colonies…?"  
  
Noin closed her eyes briefly, acknowledging the pain that pushed against her throat. "Killing himself so easily ... without hesitation ..." He looked so vulnerable, yet fought so fiercely ... as if this time was his last ... The officer was caught between her admiration for the pilot's single-mindedness and exasperation at his futile efforts to stop gundam technology from falling into their hands.  
  
Fool, Noin thought grimly. We would have had the information anyway; if not from you, then from someone else. You people are too idealistic for your own good.  
  
Another officer was working hard to bring the rest of OZ's hardware and software back on line. The force of the explosion had completely overwhelmed many of their internal systems, and had literally blown everything offline except for visuals of the battle site.   
  
"The remaining gundams are leaving the battleground, ma'am." The soldier squinted at the plasma screen, counting the number of large mobile suits still on the battlefield, determined to account for each and every one. He glanced across at his superior officer, wanting to insure that Une heard his report.  
  
Hatred and loathing, thick and heavy, stared back at the soldier from Une's eyes. The poor man swallowed and blinked, not wanting to believe what he saw; he had to be wrong, there was no possible way that the colonel would permit herself to be anything less than professional with anyone under her command ... Her gaze drifted across his body, barely registering his physical presence before reacting to the news that the battleground was clearing out.   
  
My failure ... is YOUR fault, she thought, hating and blaming the retreating forms of Zechs Marqueis and the other OZ operators for her inability to yet again capture the rebellious gundams and their pilots. ALL your fault.  
  
I've been cheated ... and I've let His Excellency down ... again .... Remorse edged with shame tinged her thoughts as she watched the small screen in front of her. Unable to express her true feelings, Une allowed her disappointment to turn to anger and resentment in a moment.   
  
"Don't think that I'll let you get away like this, gundams!" she raged, her eyes unpleasantly small and narrowed. "And you, too, Lieutenant Noin!"  
  
Noin glanced over at her commanding officer, one hand holding her small comm headset to the right side of her head. Quietly, she spoke into the transmitter, listened for a response, then nodded. Slipping the headset from the back of her ear, she unclipped the microphone from her jacket and held the equipment in her right hand, tilting her head to look at Une. "Colonel ... it's His Excellency, Treize. On the comm set. For you."  
  
At the mention of Treize's name, a completely different set of emotions flashed across the colonel's face. His Excellency inspired loyalty in his staff - some said he inspired it to the point of fanaticism - but it was loyalty, and Lady Une was unquestionably dog loyal to the general.  
  
However, this expression was one that Noin could not identify, and it left the veteran officer feeling cold and unsettled. She anticipated emotions such as hopeful expectation mingled with worshipful adoration, considering it was Lady Une thinking about His Excellency - and if that was all that was involved, Noin would have turn her attention to other matters.   
  
What bothered Noin was the strange, possessive gleam in Une's eyes, coupled with a dark, shivery something that settled in her gaze when Noin told her the General was on the other end of the connection. Plus, it was that certain twist to the Lady's lips that heightened Une's already intense look to something truly frightening.  
  
"Give it to me!"  
  
Une lunged at Noin, grabbing at her adjunct's right hand, trying to wrench the comm equipment from her subordinate's fingers in her haste to hear His Excellency's words. Didn't that woman understand? She needed to hear him now, NOW—  
  
Anticipating Une's move, Noin lightly sidestepped, slapping Une's hand harmlessly to the side. As the colonel, enraged, drew herself erect to demand the headset, Noin held her hand slightly off to the side with the earpiece visible between her forefinger and thumb, stared directly into Une's eyes, and enunciated each word slowly so there would be absolutely no mistake in the delivery of His Excellency's message to Lady Une.  
  
"Colonel - he said, 'do everything more elegantly.' Be more elegant, Lady."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Clearly, OZ fought explosive battles against the colonies' Gundam mobile suits; but OZ also sought out Earthbound rebels as eagerly as it squashed rebellions off-planet…  
  
In a mountainous area of Central Asia, within the borders of what used to be called China, a peace-orientated leader of a small country was assassinated. He had advocated the demilitarization of the region and stood up to challenge the existing military rule. Unfortunately, a coup d'etat was orchestrated against him by the Federation Armed Forces; and now, as OZ started dismembering the Federation, many independent countries faced bloody civil wars. ... however ...  
  
... neither the Federation nor OZ could have predicted the unintended, far-reaching effects their actions had. Not only were the common people of the region solidly against the Federation and Colonel Bund, the man who led the murderous coup - but the actions of the OZ organization over a relatively short period of time, culminating with the wholesale slaughter of the leading pacificts at New Edwards Base, earned them the eternal enmity of every living, thinking human being throughout that country.  
  
Every person, that is, that had any contact whatsoever with ex-Major Sally Po, late of the south JAP Point Federation Medical Center – late, in fact, of the entire Federation Armed Forces. An unrepentant AWOL Federation medical officer turned rebellion leader, Sally vowed to spread the word and fight for the freedom of her people against the Federation and against OZ, and never to return to either unless forced to do so under armed military escort.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That, in fact, was how rebels at a makeshift Chinese revolutionary base deep in the mountainous section of Central Asia came to surround a small vidscreen in the middle of the day, their eyes glittering and their faces intense, completely absorbed in the spontaneous broadcast from the colonies. When Dr. J started to speak, they immediately gave him their full, rapt attention –  
  
"Attacking innocent colonies?" the scientist had asked, his tone openly hostile, his image scowling. "What an inhumane strategy that is. You guys will indeed do anything to achieve your goal... I have no choice. I hereby declare that we surrender."  
  
"Good." Lady Une's voice drifted over the connection, cold and harsh, a grating counterpoint to the doctor's tone. "I accept your surrender. Have the Gundams disarm and surrender to us immediately."  
  
The old man's face was unreadable. "We surrender. But we will not hand over the Gundams. I repeat. We surrender. But we will not hand over the Gundams."  
  
  
  
- and when Heero Yuy's gundam exploded, not one of them flinched. They understood this part of the war much too well; to a man, they understood. One might give in and surrender to the enemy, but one never gave up.   
  
Sally sat quietly in the back of the room, a woman in green army fatigues, her braided hair draped across her shoulders, watching the vidscreen and listening to a communications unit with several other people, frowning in concentration. She, too, could understand and appreciate why Heero sacrificed himself without question.  
  
"What's wrong, Sally?" one of her men asked, glancing at her.  
  
"Nothing," she replied, looking at the vidscreen with a strange, closed expression. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Sorry – you return to your homeland after being gone for so many years, only to get involved in such a mess …"  
  
"Don't be," she said, the ghost of a smile on her lips. "I was the one who decided to come home." And it wasn't a moment too soon – I was this close to losing what little humanity I had left, she thought, somber again.  
  
Several other people monitoring the transmissions from the comm system looked at each other quickly, then over to her. "Sally," the chief technician murmured in a low voice, "you should really hear this. You can't hear this on the vidtape - this is coming directly from OZ headquarters. Our mole thought it was important to place pickups all over the building, so that we could hear them."   
  
She nodded, sighed, and lifted the handset to her ear, listening to the conversation.   
  
"Colonel … it's His Excellency, Treize."  
  
Someone was speaking to Colonel Une, second in command of all OZ forces under Khushrenada. Not surprising, she thought.  
  
It was the next words that left her staring. "... I don't believe this." Incredulous, she motioned to the others surrounding the equipment to snap their headsets on, turning the volume up on hers.   
  
"Colonel - he said, 'do everything more elegantly.' Be more elegant, Lady."  
  
Sally stared at the communications equipment as if it had morphed into a snake right in front of her. "Be more elegant? What kind of message is that? What does he think this is, a garden party?" Angrily shaking her head, Sally scowled at her companions, thinking about Heero's loss in the desert. "People died there, and they certainly didn't do it for that prick's amusement." Her eyes were cold and furious as she thought about the price other rebels from their cell had paid on the battlefield, only to be casually tossed away by one stray comment.  
  
"Major Sally." A squat, dark haired man was standing at her elbow, quietly waiting for her attention.   
  
"I'm not 'Major' Sally anymore, Weng. Just Sally."  
  
The rebel paused, looking at her. "Well. Sally. We have information that Bund and a number of his lieutenants will be in our region within the next several days. We think we should make plans to give him a proper welcome." Several of the other rebels looked at Weng and nodded, narrowed eyes abruptly slitted and cold in their weathered faces, mouths drawn in tight, compressed lines. There was absolutely no love lost between the rebels and the new regime.  
  
"Do you know have the particulars of his visit - where he will be staying, how long, with whom, and the like?"  
  
"I wouldn't be of much use to you if I didn't, Maj- ah, pardon ... Sally." A small data disk was sitting in the middle of his outstretched hand.  
  
"Thank you, Weng." Her eyes flashing, Sally took the disk, stood, and walked to the front of the room, motioning for Weng to join her. Most of the rebel section leaders were there, huddled around the vidscreen and shaking their heads, watching the gundams walk away from the battlefield.   
  
"Excuse me, gentlemen," Sally said, moving into their midst to push the disc into a waiting data port. "I'm afraid we must get back to work. Colonel Bund's going to be here sometime during the next several days ..." Tapping several keys on the machine, Sally continued, "... and this disk is going to tell us where he will be."   
  
A murmur of assent rumbled around the group. "Good. Let's see it," one of the section leaders growled. "He's going to pay for what he did. My entire village was razed on Bund's orders."  
  
"He ordered the deaths of hundreds, Chang Weng. Not just the people in your village," Sally replied as she pressed a final button and moved away from the machine. "We've all suffered horribly; we must remember that our strength lies in working together. It is only by working together that we will drive out the invaders and take back our lives and our freedom." Sally never raised her voice, but quiet strength with a backbone of steel shone through her words.   
  
The men nodded, Chan emphatically. "Together, then," he said, his jaw set like granite. "We will reclaim what was stolen from us."  
  
Sally nodded back, her expression tight and closed. Using the remote, she disconnected the system from the world net and started the decryption program to process and make sense of the huge columns of zeros and ones on the data disk.  
  
As she watched the output roll across the monitor as the program continued to work, Sally thought of the men surrounding her and those out in the field. She was proud of them; they fought without reservation, without thought for personal safety; considering, instead, the people they were trying to protect.  
  
Just as suddenly, an intense, hungry expression shone in her eyes as she thought about the enemies they tried to eliminate. Soon ... very soon. We have started the revolution, and will not stop until our voices have been heard from one end of the country to the other. You will not hold power for long ...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Several days later ...  
  
"Rebel ship. You have five minutes to come to a complete halt, disembark your crew and disengage your weapons. Failure to comply with these orders will result in your immediate termination."  
  
The woman's disembodied voice reverberated across the decks of the shuttle, rattling empty compartments and causing most of the rebel crew to stare at the loudspeakers embedded in the ship's walls. Those assigned to the bridge looked at each other and then at Sally Po, waiting for her reaction.  
  
She scowled in response, completely annoyed. Her hands flew across her own command board; her soft voice carried across the clamor on the bridge. "Communications - do not allow video or audio feed with that vessel. Rather, encode and send this message back to Une: 'Request received – regretfully, we are unable to comply.' And then cut her frequency off completely."  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Concentrating on his task, the man quickly pounded out the instructions on his board, carrying out Sally's orders. From long experience, he realized that the message would infuriate Lady Une - and hopefully, that would push her to make some careless mistakes during the upcoming battle. Their small force needed every advantage they could muster; otherwise, OZ's soldiers would completely crush them.  
  
The rest of the crew went back to their tasks with much the same attitude, heartened by Sally's obvious calm and poise in the face of such tremendous odds. Sally was the epitome of calm and coolness under pressure; there was nothing that Sally asked her soldiers to do that she would not do herself.  
  
"Preferred escape route, Sally?"  
  
"Heading 6, 3, 1, using the base as the zero vector," she replied, glancing at her navigator then sliding her gaze back to her screen. "We'll take five minutes to offload casualties, then five minutes to draw Une's fire away from them."   
  
Nodding, the navigator relayed the orders to the rest of the crew, announcing a shipwide evacuation for all personnel with the exception of the assigned bridge personnel.  
  
The shuttle landed in a small clearing, close to the bunker but not next to it. The area was extremely difficult to see - in fact, because of the mountainous terrain in that part of China, most pilots missed the strip completely. Sally skillfully put them down, leaving no room on any side the shuttle for the OZ ships hovering above them to land. All hatches were immediately flung open and the rebel fighters poured out, carrying their dead and wounded into the forest, melting into the landscape.  
  
"We could use a diversion about now - that gundam pilot friend of your could give us some relief," suggested one of the rebel fighters, scanning his position on the bridge as he looked sideways at Sally.   
  
Sally shrugged her shoulders, smiling faintly as she thought of Wufei. "I'm not even sure where he is - and at any rate, it needs to be his decision to join us, not mine to demand that he fight with us. But we still have a couple of tricks we can use." Watching her monitor, she nodded once, decisively. "It's time. All entrances have been sealed. Secure all hands for liftoff."  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" The navigator made the announcement, only seconds before a large explosion rocked the ship.  
  
Gasping, Sally clutched the controls and pulled, yanking the nose of the shuttle up as she opened the throttle and drove the engines with a roar. Braced at their positions, the skeleton crew grimly hung on as the shuttle rocketed into the air, the internal gravitational forces slamming the crew into their seats.  
  
"Weng - you're on weapons - are the lasers on line and powered up?" Sally shouted as she piloted their way past several OZ mobil suits, twisting over and around the larger machines.  
  
"Aye, Sally, they are," Weng yelled, thumbing several switches on his board. "The weapons systems are operational and ready for firing – but we're down to half power overall. That last blast cut out our left rotor."  
  
"All right – brace yourselves, everyone – it's going to get rough." Sally whipped the shuttle into a tight spiral run, spinning across the evening sky. An enormous groaning sound resonated throughout the bridge, protesting maneuvers suitable for smaller planes and vessels, not a cargo shuttle running a gauntlet of enemy mobile suits.  
  
The OZ mobile suits spread out in response to her move, ringing her trajectory like large diamonds on an invisible string, and started firing point blank.  
  
"All right, Weng - open the auxiliary bay doors now and release the cargo."   
  
The dark haired man pushed a small level on his console forward and watched his readouts with a satisfied smirk. "The cargo has been delivered, Sally, in standard fan formation … we should see and hear the results right about—"  
  
Sudden, earsplitting explosions rent the air behind them, buffeting the ship with large sonic waves and mechanical debris.  
  
"—now," he finished with a grin.   
  
Her eyes narrowed in pleasure. "Never thought I'd find a use for magnetic proximity mines. They're just so - attractive - to OZ." She grinned evilly as she punned the last sentence. "How many mobile suits are left?"  
  
"Too many." Weng shook his head, peering at the screen, calculating the odds of escape and coming up short. "But we'll take lots of 'em with us."  
  
"That we will," she agreed, losing her smile. "There's another set of mines on the other side – are you ready to deploy?"  
  
"Aye, ma'am," he promptly responded, reaching for the control.  
  
At that very instant something really huge slammed into the shuttle, shaking the structure of the vessel until the fuselage moaned. Smoke billowed from every doorway – emergency lights flashed, klaxons rang, and the scrubbers tried to contain the acrid stench flooding the area. The bridge personnel, flung to the far corners of the room, hauled themselves back to their positions, bleeding, blinking and gasping in surprise.  
  
"All stations, RESPOND! Emergency procedures in place—" Sally managed to yell before another volley hit the ship, tossing her to the deck as easily as a child threw pebbles in a stream.  
  
"We can't take much more of this!" Weng snapped, a large gash open and bleeding on the side of his head. He ignored the blood dripping down the side of his face as he pulled himself back to his console, beating out a small electrical fire on the side of the board.  
  
Sparks and wires rained on their heads as Sally crawled back to her station, only to be greeted by a large holograph of Une from the waist up, pink ribbons and all, staring balefully at her.  
  
"If you do not surrender, you will all die. It's simple. Surrender and live, Sally Po. Unless you WANT all those lives on your head…" Her glare bored right into Sally's head.  
  
The rebel leader stared back at the transparent woman. "Go to hell, Une. Consider that my last request to you." Squinting, Sally muttered under her breath, "Quick - target that signal and send a blast back along it…"  
  
"Very well, Po. That was your last chance," Une snapped. Her signal fizzled and died, the holograph winking out of existence.  
  
The navigator reported woodenly, "No blast was fired at Colonel Une's ship, Sally, because we couldn't get a fix on her location. The transmission was too short."  
  
Cursing her luck and Une, Sally looked around the bridge, panting. Smoke was still wafting across the floor, coming in thin waves from the doorway. The Trunda twins – engineering geniuses both – were obviously dead, crushed under a cabinet next to the bridge exit. All other personnel were battered, bruised, and wounded in one way or another – some were burned, some had large gashes like Weng. No one had been left unscathed.  
  
"Sally …," an engineering technician said, his face deathly pale, "…Sally … there's a report ... there are mobile dolls coming this way…"  
  
Before she had a chance to react, a third and final assault against the shuttle caused the ship to tremble and shake in midair, as if with palsy – then suddenly, every electrical panel flared simultaneously. The control consoles had sparks leaping and cascading from them, looking very much like large Roman candles. An acrid haze drifted in the air as the electrical fires consumed everything in their path and burned themselves out, leaving the command center in smoky semi-darkness.  
  
Hoping against hope that the emergency channel was still operational, Sally limped to her command station and swiped at a small flange hidden under the main panel, then leaned close and spoke into a hidden transmitter. "All hands - abandon ship after landfall. Take all necessary gear from your station and leave." She closed her eyes for an instant - gods, nothing is every easy, is it - then turned to see her second at his station, vainly fighting for control. "Do your best - find us a suitable location for landing."  
  
He snarled at his smoking controls, pounding at them with burned fingers. "I'm trying to take us over to the clearing by that small stand of trees—"  
  
—when there was a sudden, jarring, gut-wrenching *crunch* as the nose of the shuttle slammed into the forest, along with one more large, smashing force that crushed and buckled the left side of the ship.   
  
As she lay on the floor, her legs curiously immobile and her awareness slipping away, Sally was positive she heard Lady Une walk onto the bridge of her ship and murmur, "Treize-sama … will be pleased."  
  
Then darkness surrounded her, and she slipped into unconsciousness. 


	3. Chapter 2

Tapestry - Chapter 2  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It was late afternoon, and Wufei was training again.   
  
He had risen early that day – the twenty-seventh day of his confinement at the Luxemburg estate – and stretched with the sun. An hour of long, slow katas followed; his muscles tensed and rippled with the repetition of graceful movements, growing warm and supple as the sun rose in the sky. Focusing on balance and technique, the youth pushed his body to hold beautiful, impossible positions, appearing to balance on one foot while shifting his weight from side to side, hardly raising his heart rate or respiration. He would have continued practicing for at least another hour, but his time was cut short by a call to breakfast; with a sigh, he dropped his stance and left the small courtyard, hurrying inside to shower and change.  
  
There had been no time to practice after breakfast, either. He had a short exam that morning on the philosophers of the ancient world, needed to read and work several tricky chemistry problems, and then had his usual appointment to try and kill Treize in the training room. All scheduled before lunch.  
  
His exam and the chemistry problems had gone extremely well. Unfortunately, though, his dueling match had not. He lost – again.   
  
Scowling at this latest memory, the teen let go a flurry of hard punches and chops, all aimed at the imaginary head and neck of his assailant. Each movement was a vicious attack; had any one connected, his foe would have been dead at his feet.   
  
Shame and anger spurred him to increase his tempo, while the desire to keep his form pure and his stances clean forced him to maintain an even rhythm. Training was the only way he could simultaneously lose himself from the pain and the frustration of day to day life and hone his fighting skills. He had to keep training; he wanted to make sure that he was ready to kill Khushrenada when the opportunity presented itself. That, at least, had not changed.  
  
Everything else in his life, though, had been turned upside down – but that's because I wanted my comrades free, he reminded himself, pausing in the middle of a particularly difficult set of movements. I only agreed to his conditions so that they would be free…  
  
Well – so that most of them would be free; Sally Po was a totally different story. She wasn't free – but at least she would be where he could keep an eye on her. And in some ways, he found that more comforting than knowing the other gundam pilots were free.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The sun dipped lower in the sky, creating long shadows across the courtyard. Wufei continued to practice, pushing himself to a slightly faster pace, his motions somewhat blurred. As with many other martial artists, Wufei also used his practice time as time for meditation and reflection; he pressed his body through automatic, learned movements, and allowed his mind to roam curiously free. It was during sessions like this that he was able to ruminate on the events of the last several weeks and how he came to be in such a strange situation.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It had begun several days after his capture. They had been at dinner - which was yet another piece of weirdness, as Khushrenada apparently enjoyed dining with his prisoners. Or so it seemed to Wufei.  
  
"Well, Wufei ...? Will you accept this proposition?"  
  
The boy was silent for a moment, staring at Treize, trying to see through the harmless words to the veiled layers underneath.  
  
"What do you intend to have me do?" he asked, suspicious. "Simply lounge around here like an idiot heir and fight you? I won't hurt anyone for you; I won't run any missions; I will not fight any of your battles, nor give you any information. I will do nothing to help your cause at all, and I will try to kill you, no matter how much you attempt to charm me." The boy narrowed his eyes and jutted his chin in the air, daring Treize to gainsay anything at all in his little speech.  
  
Treize considered Wufei from under half-closed eyelids, a strange, small smile on his lips. "I would not ask you to run missions or hurt anyone - I would only ask that you keep your word."  
  
"And my word would only involve not attempting to kill you out of turn and not leaving? That's all you want from me?"  
  
Lowered lashes hid a sudden gleam in the older man's eyes as he smiled and replied, "Oh, yes, Wufei - that's all I want."  
  
"And we would fight every day," the boy continued, a very strange look crossing his face as he regarded Treize. "Uninterrupted."   
  
Treize nodded, watching Wufei's expression. "Absolutely. Uninterrupted. And we would continue to duel every day until you succeeded in killing me."  
  
"...and that's all you want …." Clearly, Wufei did not believe him; it was much too simple a plan.   
  
Shrugging, Treize repeated, "That's all I want, Wufei. I am willing to do something for you as a sign of good faith-"  
  
"You have to want something more - that is ridiculous," sputtered Wufei, eyeing Treize, doubts and misgivings plainly written on his face.  
  
Regarding him mildly, Treize replied, "As you say, Wufei. Eat your dinner ... it's getting cold."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Examining the problem from all sides, Wufei could find no hidden agenda, no flaw, nothing that would eventually come back and hit him in the face – and he could see only the benefit of dueling daily with the man who had murdered his wife. True, he had to give his word that he would not attempt to leave; but that was a minor inconvenience when coupled with the possibility of killing the leader of OZ.  
  
Chang Wufei accepted Treize's proposition.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Several days later Wufei was walking in the eastern part of the mansion when a heavy bang, accompanied by a considerable amount of shouting and cursing, brought him to a dead stop. More shouting and louder cursing, together with sounds which could only have been caused by heavy rifle butts striking soft human tissue drifted toward him. Now intensely curious, Wufei turned and took several steps down the connecting hallway toward the source of the noise. What he saw caused his eyes to widen in horror and his indrawn breath to hiss between his teeth. The corridor was darkened; fading daylight illuminated only bare highlights and left most of the area in deep shadow, and Wufei was glad. Instinctively keeping to the shadows as he moved in the unfamiliar corridor, Wufei was rewarded with an unobstructed view of OZ's most recent acquisitions.   
  
Three dirty, roughed-up gundam pilots – Quatre Winner, Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell – were being prodded and dragged gracelessly through the hallway in chains, Duo with his arms stretched and locked behind his back. Dried blood was caked on all their faces, but Duo was undoubtedly the worst; and as the strange procession shuffled closer to Wufei's place in the shadows, Heero's gaze unerringly found his.  
  
Wufei needed no extrasensory powers to feel the outrage and contempt in Heero's stare. Traitor, he could almost hear him sneer. Walking around free while we're in chains. What did you trade for your freedom, traitor? Ours?  
  
Meeting Heero's gaze with a minimum of flinching, Wufei realized that his retreat into the shadows of the hallway was fortuitous. As he watched his comrades being pushed and shoved toward the center of the mansion, he turned his head and saw Treize waiting for them at the end of the corridor – but this was a Treize he had never seen before. It certainly looked like the same man, but was not the same man who had been his sophisticated warder during the past ten days – or if it was, this was a side that was never presented to him.   
  
Dressed in full military regalia, the leader of OZ stood directly in the path of the prisoners, unsmiling and severe, his gaze locked on the figures of the boys as they walked toward him. He seemed to swell and grow as Wufei watched him; Treize was a large man, Wufei knew, but now that he could compare him to others standing next to him, Wufei realized with a start how large Treize really was.  
  
Many other people were behind him, as well – Wufei could make out several media reporters with hand held cameras, portable lights, recording devices – everything needed for a live broadcast.   
  
And they're going to do that right now, Wufei realized as he slunk back farther into the gloom. Treize gestured to the prisoner's escort, motioning where he wanted them to stand as he turned to speak with one of the media interviewers, an air of regal detachment about him.  
  
It would be prudent not to be seen right now. Even though he was also a prisoner, Wufei realized that Treize was not going to require him to appear with the other gundam pilots on the live broadcast. A large sense of relief, followed by a wave of guilt, washed over him. He should be with his comrades – should stand with them as they were put on display to the public at large – but …  
  
As he was chewing that over in his mind, certain words and phrases from various conversations drifted toward him. Those words were so shocking that Wufei stopped completely in his tracks, his eyes large and staring as he strained to hear the voices.  
  
" … huge operation … completely successful … Relena Peacecraft … another area of the mansion …. will get access to video her later …"  
  
Wufei felt numb – Khushrenada has HER somewhere here, too? Determination tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes as he looked at Treize. I will find and free Relena, he vowed, understanding he needed to do that before he attacked the problem of the other gundam pilots.  
  
She must be free—  
  
"… can't video Sally Po, though … military prisoner, badly injured … Colonel Une … wrapped that one in military secrecy … not until after the war crimes trial … "  
  
His eyes widened in appalled astonishment. War crimes? What? Sally Po – a military prisoner?   
  
Silently Wufei backed down the corridor, keeping to the shadows, and crept into the east wing of the mansion. His mind now focused on one thing, and one thing only – finding out as much as possible about the current situation and how he could help his friends and comrades escape. Just because he couldn't leave did not mean that they should not go free – his sense of honor demanded that he try to help them.  
  
Unnoticed, Wufei strode into the nerve center of the east wing, his eyes sliding from side to side as he assessed the potential danger. From his perspective, it was a madhouse – people rushing about, firing off orders at each other, machines clicking and spitting out reports – and that was good, because controlled chaos worked in his favor. No one challenged Wufei's right to be in that section at all, as opposed to other, more "normal" days – which meant that he had free rein to do whatever he needed to do.   
  
How pathetic. This security system is incredibly poor. And these people are so dense – they do not realize their own weakness. Good.   
  
Slipping behind a terminal, Wufei scowled and hacked into the system right away, wasting no time. The information he sought was readily available; in fact, the bulk of the data was intact when he searched through the database. Squinting in concentration, the youth leaned close to the computer screen and began to read the confidential file in front of him.  
  
What he found deepened the frown around his eyes.  
  
It had been a new weapon that brought Shenlong down; at the time, firing that weapon at his gundam had been the test case. OZ used that same weapon on Sally Po's shuttle, to verify the results obtained from Shenlong – and then waited until the next gundam came along. This new weapon, in fact, was very much like a large electronic net; and everytime it was released and used, it was almost as if it "learned" from its previous mistakes. By the time it was released on Relena's craft, it had learned exactly how to bring down a crusier class space shuttle while keeping the crew from harm.  
  
That wasn't good news at all. He would have to get this information to Dr. O as soon as he possibly could – but his first priority was to free those taken prisoner.   
  
Wufei pursed his lips in thought, his eyes narrowing appreciably. And to do that, I know he'll demand that I trade something for them…  
  
Resolved, the youth logged off the computer, pushed his chair back and marched out of the room.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"I would speak with you about today's activities."   
  
Glaring, his head held high, Wufei stormed from the nerve center of the east wing directly to Treize's office, charging through a sea of lackeys and soldiers to stand in front of him, demanding his attention immediately.  
  
"I see. Well, then … come into my office, Wufei – please." Treize ushered him in without another word, a serious expression on his face. Only his eyes showed his amusement and unguarded interest, taking in Wufei's agitated state in a glance.  
  
"Today, three other gundam pilots and Relena Peacecraft were captured, as well as one Sally Po." Straight and to the point – Wufei saw no reason to prolong any conversation of this type with the man. It was uncomfortable enough simply being near him.  
  
A tiny smile quirked the corners of his mouth as Treize regarded him, his eyelids lowering. "Your information is correct. The three pilots were captured today, as well as Relena Peacecraft; however, Sally Po was captured several days ago."  
  
There was no appreciable change in Wufei's expression, but his body seemed to stiffen and his gaze grew hard as he absorbed that information. "What will it take, as per our previous conversation, to gain their release?"  
  
Treize's eyebrows shot up; apparently, it was possible to surprise him. "Bargain for ALL of them?"  
  
"Is it possible to bargain for all of them?" Wufei snapped quickly, not wanting to let this opportunity go by. After all … if he could bargain for ALL of them at the same time … He stared back at Treize, his expression flat and unreadable.  
  
Now Treize looked at Wufei a long moment, his gaze hooded behind thick lashes. "It is possible," he acknowledged slowly. "But it will take some extra effort on your part."  
  
"Very well. Tell me what, and we'll bargain."  
  
Treize took another long look at the young man in front of him, taking him in from the top of his head to the tips of his shoes. "All right, Wufei. I will need some time to decide what to do – I should have an answer for you by dinner."  
  
"That is acceptable," the youth said, walking across the room. "I will be waiting." And without another word he left – pushing his way imperiously past the lackeys and soldiers again, earning himself some very hard looks from the Elite guard outside Treize's office.  
  
The last rays of early evening sunlight shone through the single office window, gently highlighting the room with a warm, comforting bronze glow. In contrast, Treize's expression as he watched Wufei stalk out of the room was nothing less than predatory.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
He remembered what happened when he bargained for his comrades' freedom. Wufei firmly believed that Khushrenada was mad, but now realized there was more than simple insanity at work behind the man's eyes. At times, the way the general looked at Wufei confused him and sent chills up his spine … no one had ever looked at him in quite that way before …   
  
Scowling in concentration, Wufei slashed the air, a rapid sequence of kicks and punches claiming his body's attention while his mind puzzled again the odd bargains he had made.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"I've been considering your request, Wufei … and have come to several conclusions. I believe we will be able to come to an agreement."  
  
They were sitting in the formal dining room, waiting to start dinner. All the servants had come and gone; there were steaming plates of Mandarin delicacies on the table, waiting for someone to serve them.   
  
Wufei leaned forward slightly in his chair, his gaze intense, locked on the man to his left.  
  
"That, in fact, was the main piece I needed to consider," Treize continued, serving Wufei from one of the platters and then serving himself. "If there was any doubt in my mind as to whether I would actually be able to deliver what I promised to you, then I would have rejected this out of hand."  
  
Wufei looked at Treize with an incredulous expression, his eyebrows lifted. He still had a difficult time believing that Treize kept his word; however, in the time that he had known the man, he had always kept his word. It was an odd feeling, though - the boy believed that only honorable men were concerned with their end of any bargin. Because Khushrenada was concerned with keeping his word and because he had never broken that trust with Wufei, then logically that meant that Khushrenada had to be …  
  
No. That thought was pushed away rather quickly by the youth; he was not going to be distracted at this point by unexplained, surprising behavior on the part of his wife's killer. Keeping his face an expressionless mask, Wufei nodded politely and waited for Treize to continue.  
  
"So – let us begin. Currently, the gundam pilots – Winner, Yuy and Maxwell – are my guests here, as well as Relena Peacecraft. You also indicated you were interested in the rebel leader, Sally Po."  
  
Wufei nodded once, acknowledging Treize's statement.  
  
"Very well – then let us start with one of the gundam pilots – Quatre Winner. He is, I believe, the only heir to the Winner mining corporation …."  
  
"Hai," Wufei grunted, continuing to watch him carefully.  
  
"…and as such, does have an extremely responsible position to maintain." Drawing his eyebrows together in a frown, Treize looked sternly at Wufei. "He is not someone who should be running around, terrorizing civilians in a mobile suit. He has responsibilities – there are millions of people who depend upon the businesses that the Winner family control for their livelihoods. Should their mines close for any reason, it will not simply be a temporary inconvenience – there will be a major economic crisis in the colonies."  
  
"Stop preaching to me, Khushrenada. Tell me what you want and get it over with." Wufei stared calmly at the older man as he served himself from the surrounding dishes. Make this look as normal as possible. However, he was prepared; should the madman demand anything too bizarre, Wufei was ready NOT to react. That, after all, was what this man wanted, wasn't it? To rattle him … keep him off balance … so that he would be forced to reveal ... something ... to get whatever it was he wanted …  
  
  
Treize looked back just as calmly. "I am proposing to give this young man a second chance – with no prison time at all."  
  
Wufei's eyes widened a scant millimeter – difficult to see, but definitely there. "Very well. And what are you demanding in return?"  
  
"What I want in return, Wufei, is something very, very, simple." Looking directly into the boy's eyes, Treize said, "Simple. Basic. Manners. From you."  
  
Wufei blinked.  
  
" …. Huh?" he choked out, staring at Treize stupidly.   
  
Gazing steadily at Wufei, the commander of OZ said, his voice low, "And you will start by using my given name instead of my surname. My name is Treize. That is the name I expect to hear you call me from now on."  
  
The boy sat in his chair, his meal forgotten, staring at Treize, his jaw slack. " … you … you want me to call you T … Treize?" As he stared at the older man on his left, it was becoming clearer to Wufei by the moment that he really, truly did NOT understand Khushrenada at all.  
  
That was a new and frustrating experience. Wufei prided himself on his ability to read people quickly, sum up their intentions – good or evil – and categorize them based on those ideas. Khushrenada, by virtue of several of his actions – most notably this last one – had neatly put himself outside of the realm of Wufei's understanding.  
  
Giving him a level stare, Treize nodded. "Yes. I want you to call me Treize – and I want you to start practicing basic manners as well."  
  
"What manners are those?" Wufei asked, suspicious.  
  
Treize raised one forked eyebrow at him. "Manners are simply rules of conduct people use in various social situations. I will teach you those I wish you to observe on a regular basis."  
  
"I know what manners are," Wufei snapped, peevish, sure there was some type of trick behind Treize's words. "But WHAT manners are you talking about?"   
  
A small smile of amusement quirked Treize's mouth. "The way in which you speak to people. The way in which you enter and leave a room. The way in which you conduct yourself with acquaintances and such. The way you present yourself to strangers." Shrugging, Treize continued, "There are myriad social situations for us to consider. That is my price for Quatre Winner's freedom. Do you accept?"  
  
Wufei frowned, thinking. There must be a trick – this is WAY too simple. He turned the idea over and over in his mind, and could find nothing evil about Treize's request at all – which was completely confusing.  
  
Carefully, Wufei nodded. "I accept."  
  
"Very well. Then I will set Winner free tonight."  
  
" …. you trust me?" Wufei blurted, incredulous, staring at Treize.   
  
"Yes, Wufei. I trust you. You have given me your word that you would not attack me at any time other than when we dueled – and you have kept your word. Accepting the terms of Winner's release means that you are now willing to learn basic manners."  
  
"Okay," Wufei responded, giving Treize a strange look. This is just so … surreal... "You trust me. How do I know that I can trust you?"  
  
"A fair question." Nodding, Treize considered him for a moment before responding. "We have not yet discussed Ms. Po, the rebel leader. I would be interested, Wufei, to learn of your connection with her. Your interest in the others that were captured is fairly obvious – but not so with Ms. Po."  
  
Wufei continued to stare at him, saying nothing, his face an expressionless blank. "Is that part of the price?"  
  
"No, Wufei. I was merely curious."  
  
Well, you can damn well keep BEING curious, because I'm certainly not going to tell you a fucking thing.  
  
Treize's eyebrow raised as if he had heard Wufei's caustic thought. "At any rate – because of the seriousness of her crimes – I'm afraid I cannot offer Ms. Po her freedom. However, what I can offer her is a respite from prison. Something more palatable than living out the rest of her life in a prison cell."  
  
Wufei looked at him, willing him to continue.  
  
"I propose to bring her here, so that she would be near you. She would be under my protection."  
  
"And the price?" Wufei asked. His mind raced ahead; when she was well, he might be able to get her out …  
  
"No price, Wufei. It is my goodwill gesture to you. I promise – on my honor – that I will bring Ms. Po here, and that she will be permitted to stay here indefinitely. There will be no jail time for her. She will not suffer any penalty for her crimes in that manner."  
  
"She will not have her freedom," Wufei pointed out.  
  
"No, she will not." A small smile crossed Treize's face as he said lightly, "I had a very difficult time persuading Lady Une to drop the charges against her today."  
  
Blinking again, Wufei stammered, "You … you did that?"  
  
"Of course," Treize responded with a nod. "You knew, of course, that the courts were going to try her as a war criminal? However, since it did not appear that her crimes were on the same level as the gundam creators, I was able to have the charges dropped with one proviso – that she will be released into my custody, and will live with me while she pays her debt to society…." Giving him a small, significant look, Treize finished, "…as you are."   
  
The gundam creators? Does he mean Dr. O? Slightly pale, Wufei looked at him and nodded, not really hearing the last part of his statement. "I … understand."  
  
"Poor thing had quite a shock, I'm afraid. She was badly injured in a shuttle accident, but has been recovering nicely and will be sent here tomorrow to continue her recovery." Treize leaned forward a little, watching Wufei's reactions. "You must understand, Wufei, that she will be unconscious for quite some time. The doctors feel that make be several weeks. She will recover – but slowly."  
  
Wufei was still trying to assimilate the news about the gundam doctors. Did they capture Dr. O? Should I try to contact him? Realizing that Treize was watching him, though, helped Wufei to haul his attention back to the present and the conversation about Sally Po.   
  
"I hope this is acceptable to you, Wufei."  
  
"Hai," the boy whispered, looking down at his plate. He felt a slight pressure to tell Treize why he wanted Sally Po with him – but that passed rather quickly, and he was left sitting in silence, looking at his tea and hoping that he didn't just agree to anything stupid.  
  
"This now leaves us with the problems of Maxwell and Yuy. These two are difficult for, as with Ms. Po, people view them as renegades." Shaking his head slightly in reproof, Treize snorted. "Gundam pilots, both of them. Irrepairable. Unfixable. Unfit to join human society."  
  
"You're crooked enough. You can figure a way," Wufei said, looking at him, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. There was no malice or forethought in that thought, either – it was simply the way the boy's mind worked. When presented with a problem, he said what he felt was obvious and tried to use all the tools at hand to solve the problem.   
  
"I would appreciate your NOT saying things like that in my presence," Treize said dryly.   
  
Wufei started back at him, uncowed. "Fine. Then I won't be honest," he shrugged.  
  
Evenly, Treize said, "Wufei. Considering what you just agreed to do, I think that you need to reconsider your attitude." His words were mild, but his gaze was anything but as he looked at the teenager.  
  
Wufei shot a sulky glare in Treize's direction. "If you prefer that I lie to you – and that's what you believe 'manners' are – then I will do it." Dropping his gaze to his plate, Wufei shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glowering.  
  
With a sigh, Treize tilted his head to the side and gave the boy a long look. "Wufei. Manners are a codified set of rules that society uses to make things run smoother. 'Insulting' someone can include showing things to them in an unflattering light, or being intentionally rude while hiding behind the façade of, 'but I'm only speaking the truth.'"  
  
A short silence ensured while the teenager digested that bit of information. "All right," he finally said, looking up, "I'm sorry. Please go on."  
  
Slightly mollified, Treize looked at him another moment, then continued. "What I was saying is that I must come up with a creative approach in order to give the other gundam pilots their freedom."  
  
Pursing his lips thoughtfully, Wufei asked, "Am I allowed to speak now?"  
  
Treize nodded at him. "Of course."  
  
"Allow them to escape."  
  
An odd gleam shone in the older man's eyes as he looked at Wufei. "An interesting idea. Please – continue."  
  
"It's the only answer that makes sense," the boy said, shrugging as if there was nothing odd about his suggesting how his comrades would be set free. "The public would believe it. They're 'gundam pilots.' And if you make sure that YOUR men don't screw up, your end of the deal is fulfilled."  
  
"Creative … original … " Treize murmured, nodding his head slowly. "And an idea, I believe, that will prove to be workable."  
  
Raising his chin at his captor, Wufei narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Now – what's my end? What do you want?"  
  
"You realize there will be a price for each person involved—"  
  
Snorting, Wufei shook his head at Treize. "I am aware. Or I wouldn't have offered." Just get on with it and tell me what you want.  
  
"Very well, then," Treize said, leaning toward Wufei and watching the boy's expression. "Yuy will escape first. For this, I will expect that any and all information leaks from my establishment will dry up immediately. And Wufei," he continued, a cold smile on his lips, "by 'my' establishment, I mean from any location I frequent to which you would have access. Do you agree?"  
  
Shit. Immediately, Wufei's mind wrapped around the idea, poking and prodding it for any holes he could to continue to gather information – but he couldn't see any way around it. From Wufei's point of view, he had given his word previously that he would give his word – so … there could be no arguments.  
  
"Yes," he replied, his voice heavy, "I agree."  
  
Treize nodded, accepting his agreement. "Very good, Wufei. Therefore, we can go on to number two – Duo Maxwell. Maxwell will escape the day after Yuy."  
  
"Hai," Wufei said automatically, still trying to think of a way to pass information out of the complex without compromising his word.  
  
"In exchange for Maxwell's freedom, I expect you to place yourself in my hands for some intensive education, including reading and discussing any number of books from my personal library."  
  
For the second time that day, Wufei looked at the older man stupidly. "….huh?" he croaked, his mouth open. "Education?" With the look Wufei gave him, the leader of OZ might have been speaking Martian for all he knew.  
  
Smiling faintly, Treize confirmed, "Yes, Wufei – education. You need form and structure in your life right now –"  
  
Interrupting, Wufei blurted out, "…what are you talking about – education?" His mind was churning as he considered this incredibly odd demand. Education? That's not evil at ALL …  
  
With a patient sigh, Treize asked, "Wufei. Did you believe that your education stopped the moment you left your colony? That there was nothing else for you to learn about the universe? Do you know everything there is to know?" Eyeing him, Treize asked dryly, "Are you God?"  
  
"I .. I gave it up. I never assumed anything of the sort."  
  
"I see," Treize replied, looking at the closed, tight expression in Wufei's eyes. "Then – if you want Maxwell to go free – you will need to start learning again."  
  
A stubborn, angry look crossed the teen's face as he considered Treize's proposition. His gaze fixed on his plate, Wufei exhaled slowly and rubbed the side of his head. "Just … 'education.' Nothing more. Nothing that would involve harming anyone, or giving you information."  
  
"Just 'education.' Nothing else, Wufei. Do you accept?"  
  
For Maxwell …. "Yes. I accept."  
  
Treize settled back in his chair; the hint of a smile was around his lips, but his eyes were … gleaming. "Very well, Wufei. That leaves us with … Relena Peacecraft."  
  
Wufei inhaled slowly. Dark eyes regarded Treize warily as he straightened his back and tightened his lips. Slowly … and be careful …. He knew the other agreements would pale in comparison to this one. But I'm ready for you …  
  
"Her people are at war with OZ, you know. That makes this situation rather tricky."  
  
"You mean you are at war with her. Her people are pacifists." Wufei spit the last word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, glaring at Treize.  
  
Treize raised an eyebrow in Wufei's direction. "Indeed. Then they are pacifists with guns, Wufei. At any rate – it will be possible to release her. I have made the necessary contacts, and I do have a way to take her back to her people." Settling farther back in his chair, Treize watched the boy, steepling his fingers together. "Should you agree to the terms, of course."  
  
"What do you want?" the boy snapped, his glare becoming more intense. What else could he want?  
  
"She will go free, Wufei," Treize said softly, never taking his gaze from Wufei's face, "if you agree to tell me everything you're thinking whenever I ask you to."  
  
The teen stared at Treize for several moments, blank incomprehension on his face. "If I agree to … what?"  
  
Treize said nothing; he simply watched as Wufei processed his request. A slight smile played around his mouth as he saw Wufei's eyes widen.  
  
Ah, yes – he understands now  
  
"You … what?" the boy said hoarsely, staring directly at Treize. This can't be true … he can't really mean that …   
  
Patiently, Treize repeated, "All you need to do is to agree to tell me everything you're thinking whenever I ask you to."  
  
Wufei's expression was heading into complete horror. "But I .. I can't do that … you will accept nothing else?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Wufei.," Treize said, shaking his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the boy to his right. "Those are my terms. It hurts no one."  
  
Swallowing, Wufei said, "..that's true – it hurts no one … " But … it's so HORRIBLE … Closing his eyes for a moment, Wufei imagined himself telling Treize what he was thinking; his heart pounding, Wufei opened his eyes again and looked directly at Treize.  
  
This is for Relena ... she must be free ... the world needs Relena free ...  
  
Wufei's mournful eyes regarded Treize for a moment before he spoke. "All right," he said, his voice husky and rough. "I agree. You have my word." The boy looked down at his plate and shook his head, more in disbelief at himself than anything else.   
  
Treize inclined his head in acceptance. "Very well, Wufei. Ms. Peacecraft will go free as soon as I can get her out of the house." A small, triumphant gleam sparkled in Treize's blue eyes for a moment as he looked at Wufei's bent head; it was quickly extinguished and replaced with an expression of mild concern as Wufei raised his chin to look at Treize, blinking.  
  
The more Wufei considered the implications of those simple words, the colder the pit of his stomach felt. His face pale, Wufei looked at Treize with a guarded expression of dismay. He wasn't sure what the feeling was that crept from his head through his bones – but it was one that left him feeling used, violated .. and alone. As if … as if in some way he had just bargained away his soul …   
  
Ridiculous, he immediately thought, pushing that feeling to the back of his mind. I agreed so that my comrades could go free … so that Relena could be free. There was no other choice to make …  
  
That was cold comfort as he stared at his plate, thinking about everything he had agreed to do.  
  
"Wufei," Treize said gently, breaking into his thoughts, his tone slightly disapproving. "You haven't touched your dinner."  
  
Stricken, Wufei raised his dark gaze to the general's.  
  
"Eat something, Wufei," Treize murmured, supportive and comforting. "Please."  
  
"Do I have to? Is that part of the bargain, too?" Unaware of the plaintive note that crept into his voice, Wufei sighed and looked at his plate, hoping in some way that the food would start disappearing on its own.  
  
"Yes, Wufei," Treize replied, his voice gentle. "That is part of it, too. I will not permit you to starve yourself – or harm yourself in any way. You need to eat."  
  
Miserably, Wufei looked up at Treize; he nodded mutely, took his silverware in hand and started poking at the food, looking down at his plate again. Clearly, he was more comfortable when NOT looking Treize.  
  
"Very good, Wufei … now eat the food."  
  
Sighing, the adolescent pushed his food around a little more, put some on his fork and ate a bite. A slightly pouty look was on his face as he ate; he was clearly embarrassed about the entire situation, as his face had turned the color of ripe apples in the fall.   
  
Another triumphant gleam shone in Treize's gaze as he relaxed at the table, watching Wufei. Soon …  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* 


	4. Chapter 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 3  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mmmm ... it smelled like .. roses.  
  
It was that moment before I'm fully awake - the one where I lay there and realize I really don't want to wake up after all, but my body isn't going to let me sleep any more. My eyes were closed out of habit, though - I always checked out my situation with every other sense before owning up to the fact that I was awake. Things were much safer all around; and in my current profession, it only made sense.   
  
I knew I was lying in a bed, at least, because I felt as though every part of my body was pressing against something soft and comfortable. Plus - I was warm, covered with something that was both soft and insulating. It must have been sometime during the day, as well; I was sure the sun was shining right in my face, stronger on the left side.  
  
So comfortable ... really, much too relaxed and comfortable to get up. I can hear the birds, now, isn't that funny? I haven't heard birdsong in ... ages ...   
  
I strained to catch any other sound other than the birds - namely movement, quiet breathing, at least something that said other people were in the room - but there was nothing. Which meant that I wasn't with my people anymore ...  
  
... so where was I?  
  
Slitting my eyes so it still looked as though I was asleep, I turned my head slightly - just slightly - and was rewarded by a jolt of hot, searing pain that ran from the top of my head, fanned through all the muscles in my face and stopped with a dull, throbbing ache in my jaw.   
  
Tears leaked out of the corner of my eyes as I sucked my breath between my teeth, just to keep from making any sound. I immediately recognized that pain. Stitches - gads, there were stitches in my head. Where else was I hurt?  
  
Now my muscles seemed to have a life of their own; some of them started twitching spasmodically, especially the ones in my back. About the only thing I could do for relief was try to unobtrusively wiggle and stretch; and for that, I was rewarded with another sharp pain in my side, along with some cramping and aching in my legs. Great. It wasn't anything that I couldn't handle, but it was something else that I'd have to watch - apparently, I also had a few broken ribs.   
  
Cautiously, I opened my eyes. Ah ... I was right about one thing, at least. Sunlight shone though an attractive set of French windows at the far side of what looked like the most elegant room I'd ever seen in my life. It was large, but not ostentatiously so; the decor was tastefully done in various shades of ivory, offset by furniture and woodwork with rich, dark grains. Graceful, sheer curtains billowed softly in a slight breeze; the faint sound of rustling leaves carried into the room, but that was all.   
  
... billowing curtains...?  
  
"...no way...," I murmured to myself. "They left the window open?"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Oh, it hurt - but I pushed myself up to a sitting position. Almost immediately, the dull ache in my head became a pointed, sharp pain, centered on the right side of my head, behind my eyes. Not only that, but I lost that wonderfully warm feeling - the sheets fell into my lap as I soon as I sat up. Immediately, several things became quite clear -  
  
- first, someone had taped me tightly around my ribs and under my breasts, which confirmed my suspicions. Broken ribs. Also, it felt as though there was a large bandage on my left thigh. Without a doubt, someone with some medical expertise dressed my wounds. That was comforting, in a small way.  
  
Second, the window in the room was open and unlocked. If I was a prisoner – which I assumed I was, considering the last thing I remembered was lying on the floor of the shuttle after it was shot out of the sky, unable to move – this surely was a peculiar way to imprison me. No shackles, no restraints - and they left me in a room with an open window? I'm hurt, certainly, but not totally incapacitated. This was NOT standard procedure for the OZ I knew. Usually, those humorless drones tied their military prisoners to whatever they had handy and kept at least three of their people on watch.  
  
But the last part was really the strangest. As I pushed myself up from the bed, I looked down at my body - trying to do a visual inspection - and absolutely could not believe what I saw. Someone had dressed me in a nightgown, which, all things considered, was rather nice - but really ... I picked at the elaborate embroidery at the wrists, wondering at the beautiful workmanship. It was gorgeous - a delicate, feminine creation in ivory with intricate needlework around the neckline, down the sleeves, and around the wrists - and not my usual style at all.  
  
Someone had an evil sense of humor.  
  
The bodice was low cut, dipping across my breasts, and the material was so diaphanous I could plainly see the small freckles on my left arm. This garment was obviously designed to display my body rather than cover it. That became completely apparent when the breeze from the window whispered against my cheek and the rest of my upper body; as soon as I saw the goosebumps pop up on my arms, I looked down. And I was right - that bodice did nothing to cover me or protect me from the cold - in fact, now it was possible to see just how cold I was.  
  
Gods, how embarrassing.  
  
A matching robe, neatly folded, lay across the bottom of the bed. I snatched it up, dipped my arms into the sleeves and buttoned it, feeling my cheeks burn. I still couldn't believe it. Even though the robe was made from the same material, it just about covered my chest. At least having a double layer of fabric between me and the world gave me some small promise of modesty.  
  
I swung my legs off the edge of the bed and felt my feet brush something soft. Looking down, I saw a pair of stylized, fancy ivory slippers.   
  
Lovely. I was to walk around in a nightgown and slippers. I felt a slow glimmer of anger as I slid the slippers over my feet. Fine, then - I'll wear the nightgown and slippers - but I'm going to find out what else is around here, as well. And I'm going to get out of here, too. I had been captured by OZ and escaped before, and I definitely was expecting to do the same thing now.  
  
Looking around the room, the first thing I saw was a large, walk-in closet with mahogany doors. I pursed my lips - well, you never know - something could be in there, something that would help me get out of this ... place. I padded over to the doors, slipped my hands over the knobs and gently pulled. The doors opened easily, yielding a closet with - nothing. There were no hangers, no clothing, no toiletries; only a large, permanently mounted pole, several empty shelves and several empty drawers.  
  
It figures. I couldn't even budge the pole.  
  
Pulling open the drawers in various pieces of furniture around the room gave the same results – there was nothing extra here, absolutely nothing. Other than what I was wearing, there were no clothes in this room. Not even a hat.  
  
And now I was beginning to feel more than a little uncomfortable. A tingly feeling stretched through my stomach and down my spine as I considered how someone had deliberately cleared every piece of clothing out of this room, but left me in night clothes that fit perfectly …   
  
Pushing my feelings of unease aside - no, I'm not thinking about that now - I padded over to the window at the far end of the room and stretched, just to see what I needed to do to get out of there.  
  
The view was enough to make me gasp and stare in shock.  
  
Magnificent, manicured property stretched for as far as the eye could see, ending at a forest at the edge of the horizon. It looked as though there were hedge fences on the right hand side of the building, and something that could have been a stable - but to the left, there was nothing but acres and acres of perfectly tended land.  
  
And rose bushes. Thousands and thousands of rose bushes.  
  
There were literally hundreds of rows of different blossoms; some appeared to be displayed in formal gardens, others in sculpted mazes, but all covered an enormous amount of property around the building. A light, wafting fragrance drifted in the air - the delicate scent of roses in full bloom.  
  
I moved closer to the window, peered over the ledge - and groaned. The reason why someone felt secure in leaving me unrestrained in a room with an open window was now crystal clear.  
  
This room was on the second story of the house, which by itself, wasn't insurmountable – I'd jumped from greater heights, and been perfectly fine. To make my job even easier, there were vines and creepers on the side of the building; they might not have been well anchored, but they would at least have given me a little stability.   
  
The difficulty was with the landing. There was a large, wide hedge of thorny rosebushes planted at the foot of the building. The hedge itself was thick with age, clearly well-tended, and was so wide that simply jumping clear of it was impossible - I would have landed square in the middle of it, no matter how I leaped.  
  
Besides that - even if I did opt to jump - this nightgown offered no protection against the thorns at all. And thorns that I could see from this height had to be at least one inch long, if not longer. They would do considerably more damage than just little scratches here and there - I would be lucky if I didn't sever an artery from the force of the fall and the impact. All in all, it was an annoying, frustrating situation - to be so close to freedom, yet not be able to grasp it ...   
  
And exactly how far would I get, running across the property half naked? I'll just have to find another way.... That unsettled feeling came back, though, as I realized how much thought had gone into this; much more than I thought at the beginning. This room wasn't a cell in a conventional prison, but it was just as effective in keeping me captive.   
  
Frankly, that was discouraging; on the other hand, I still had places left to hunt in and ferret out, so I left the window and walked over to the bathroom. Everything else appeared to be consistent with OZ regulations concerning high security risk prisoners; only soap and bubble bath in the bathroom, no razors or tweezers or scissors in sight. Nothing that could remotely be used as a weapon was within my reach.   
  
I sighed and walked into the bedroom again, glacing out the window. When I started poking around, the sun was high in the sky - but now it was lower and sinking fast, meaning that dusk was following quickly on its heels. I could see the first shadows of evening creeping across the fields, creating deep pockets of shade, perfect for screening.   
  
If I wanted to escape, I'd better do it now, before anyone realized I'm awake. I just need to get out there, and I'd be able to get away. Hide in the shadows and make for the forest. I can live there ... I did it before, I can do it again.  
  
But how? The only other way that appeared to be feasible, other than using the open window, was walking through the wide wooden doors leading into the hallway.   
  
No ... something was wrong. I didn't like it. I didn't like feeling as if I'd been pushed to do this ... that I'm not controlling where I go. But there was no other choice ... and no telling when I'd get the chance again ...   
  
I decided, and put my thoughts to action.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I moved next to the door, put my hand on the knob and pulled; it swung open the barest fraction of an inch, teasing me with a glimpse of the hallway. I waited to see if anyone was going to jump on it, my body tense and poised, my hands slightly clammy with anticipation – but nothing happened.   
  
Well. I had expected some kind of alarm system, at the very least, something to show I was up and poking around. Nothing happened - at least, nothing I could see. Now I had a clear view down the hallway, straight down to the head of a staircase - which was the ONLY way someone could go, in fact. There were no other hallways or staircases, so ...  
  
Good. Time to go.  
  
I took a deep breath and slipped out, leaving the door slightly open. Glancing from side to side, I moved toward the closed end of the corridor and tried to quietly open several of the doors –   
  
– but found they were locked. Odd, that - so I decided to systematically try the doors near my room until I found one that was open. I tried to open every door I could, first by moving down the corridor and then back toward the stairs.   
  
Every door was locked.  
  
Which brought me back to the staircase at the end of the hallway. Now I knew I was being directed - "herded" - in that direction.   
  
This, however, did nothing except make me angry. Someone was playing with me - first by sticking me in this ridiculous nightgown, and now by trying to drive me like some kind of herd animal wherever they wanted. I didn't like it at all. Silently, I made my way to the head of the staircase and glared down to the floor below.   
  
Warm light – the kind of light I remembered flickering on the wall across from my bedroom when I was child –illuminated the staircase as it turned toward the right. The familiar smell of a fire and the soft rustling of a small blaze came from somewhere close to the bottom of the steps. I couldn't see anything else, though, other than an oriental rug lying across a rich wooden floor.  
  
Closer - I must get closer. There could be something I could use as a weapon ...  
  
Willing myself to be completely silent, I looked furtively down the hallway before tiptoeing down the stairs. The staircase ended in a large, empty hall, one that was as richly decorated as the upstairs hallway; fine wood graced its walls, and the overall feeling was refined, warm and inviting. Several rooms opened into the area, but it was the room at the bottom of the stairs, its doors flung open, that made me shrink together and tread noiselessly against the wall, my nightgown and robe clutched in one hand.   
  
An unmistakable crackle, the sound of a robust fire, drifted toward me. It looked like a small library – rows and rows and rows of books, many leather bound, their spines bathed in soft firelight. A high backed leather chair faced the hearth; it was a perfect compliment to the ambiance of the room, its rich dark leather reflecting and absorbing the fire's glow.  
  
I held my breath for a moment before slowly exhaling, staring into the room. I wasn't alone any more.  
  
Someone was sitting in that chair, reading a book. It was someone with long hands and long fingers, someone who reached for a wineglass with one elegant, masculine hand. I breathed a sigh of thanks that this person wasn't facing the stairs. It was a small advantage – but really, I needed every advantage I could possibly get.   
  
I reached the bottom of the stairway and paused before I tried to slip past the open door. There was a small closet at the end of the hall; I focused on that. It could have coats in it, or coveralls, or maybe a hunting knife or rifle, or –   
  
A cultured baritone broke into my train of thought. "At least do take a seat, Ms. Po, if you feel the need to be out of your room."  
  
I froze in mid stride, and slowly turned toward the figure in the leather chair. Completely shocked doesn't do justice to what I was feeling; if you mix in terror, surprise and fear in equal doses, you'd be closer. I straightened my back, clenched my teeth together, and prayed that I didn't look the same way I felt.  
  
The voice was unmistakable. It was Treize Khushrenada, the leader of OZ. 


	5. Chapter 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 4  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Almost ... I almost made it to freedom, but he stopped me. Somehow, he knew I was there.  
  
I knew him, of course. Recognized his voice from all the broadcasts I'd heard; recognized his face from all the vid flicks I'd seen. Everyone knew Treize Khushrenada, the elegant and charismatic leader of OZ.   
  
Just a few more meters, and I would have been gone. Out of this house and into the night. It wasn't entirely true, really, but I had to believe that to go on. Just as I had to believe I'd get another chance at escape; and when I did, I would recognize, react, and take that chance.  
  
React - not think. Forget about how frightened and threatened I felt, and just concentrate on my anger and my need for action.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I stood in the doorway of the library and just looked at him, not saying a word. The man was as handsome in person as he was on video, if that was possible. Normally, I didn't give a second thought to appearances, but he ... he struck me because he looked ... perfect. Flawless, really – there was an undeniable something about him that kept me rooted in place, just staring at him. It was fascinating, watching the light from the fire illuminate the tips of his hair ... and the planes of his face were symmetrical, so pleasing to see ... perfect ...   
  
...gods, what was wrong with me? I needed to DO something to get the hell out of there, not stand around mooning at someone who's probably one of the most dangerous men alive, not to mention—  
  
"I have food." Gold glinted on the edge of the paper as he turned a page of his book, not looking at me.  
  
A pleasant aroma wafted across the room; an answering growl rumbled from my stomach almost immediately. I couldn't believe it - even my stomach wouldn't cooperate. I felt desperate - I had to at least appear to be in control of my body, if nothing else.   
  
He turned toward me, his gaze capturing mine in an instant. "Please have a seat, Ms. Po. I hate to be seated when there is a lady standing in the room."  
  
That was not a request, I realized. I raised my chin and stared back at him, slightly challenging. A small smile played across his lips, but there was certainly nothing easygoing about it.   
  
Fine, then. We'll do this your way.  
  
Gathering all the dignity I could muster wearing that thin, low cut nightgown, I straightened my back and slowly walked across the room, from the doorway to the other large chair. My head had started to throb abominably, as if my moving around had triggered it. Plus, I knew he was watching me shuffle across the room in that wretched nightgown, too, which was horrid enough; but I was damned if I was going to let any of THAT show.  
  
I'll play this out, I decided, warily eyeing the general as I sank back into the overstuffed arm chair. I'd been in worse situations. The worst he could do is kill me, and I'd been ready for that for ages.  
  
I stared at him silently, not defiant but certainly not cowed. He was the enemy, plain and simple; no different than any of the rest.  
  
Go ahead, Khushrenada. Do your worst.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The general looked at me from under heavily lidded eyes, nodded once, then deliberately lowered his gaze and continued reading, a small bookmark between the fingers of his left hand.   
  
I sat quietly, waiting for him to finish. I knew what he was doing, of course; but knowing what he was doing and experiencing it were two totally different things. I focused on the gold leaf edges of the tome in his hands, remembering that our people did this all the time. No need to get upset or angry - there was nothing unusual about making a prisoner wait. It was just another subtle way of showing who was really in control. And it didn't matter, because I had all the time in the world.  
  
Of course, the mocking little voice in the back of my mind said, the rebels fighting against OZ did not take prisoners, ensconce them in magnificent mansions and then force them to wear nearly translucent bedclothes, now, did they?  
  
Oh, just shut up.  
  
Long minutes later - ten minutes? thirty? I really wasn't sure - Khushrenada nodded again and slipped his bookmark between the pages of his book. As he closed the leather bound volume he looked at me with a thoughtful, contemplative expression - and it struck me at that instant that he was completely different than his public persona. The look he gave me was penetrating, analytical, and cold, as if he was weighing and measuring me against an invisible scale; and that was nothing at all like the warm, empathetic figure the world at large saw. I had the unmistakable feeling that I was now seeing the 'real Treize' – that the 'other Treize' was nothing more than a fabrication, a pleasant diversion used to placate the masses.  
  
It took all my self possession not to shrink back from him into the chair; it was an unsettling realization, to say the least. I glared at Khushrenada as I gave myself a little internal pep talk. He's just a man, Sally Po - don't let him rattle you. Speak first, and take any advantage away from him.  
  
"General." Lowering my eyes and nodding my head, hoping I presented a properly respectful appearance, I said softly, "You have me at a disadvantage."  
  
"Indeed, Ms. Po," he responded, his voice low and pleasant, inclining his head toward me. "I am surprised to see you up and about. The doctors said that it would be several more days before you regained consciousness." He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. "I trust you are feeling no ill effects now?"  
  
"No - in fact, I'm feeling quite well," I lied, glancing at the book he held in his hands. With a start, I recognized the title of an anthology of poems I had read several years before - written in Mandarin Chinese, my native language. He ... he reads Mandarin..? I wondered, confused. No one read Mandarin ... not unless they're Chinese ...  
  
Looking up, I met his gaze squarely and almost faltered at the amused skepticism in it. Taking a deep breath, I continued, "In fact, you owe me and the people who were on my ship an explanation. I was piloting a medical transport when we were viciously gunned down by OZ troops." My heart had started to pound a little faster, but I stared at him calmly enough, feeling myself gaining strength. "I do not understand - I was under the impression that your people did not attack the wounded."  
  
"Ms. Po - I did not order any such attack. I was as surprised at that turn of events as you."  
  
I stared at him in disbelief. "…I see…"   
  
The head of OZ sighed. "My … subordinate officers are less than friendly toward your own people, I fear – and I did not reach them in time to give a countermand order. I did, however, prevent any of your men from being killed. Most have been bandaged and sent home."  
  
For a brief moment, the image of my second's bloodied face swam in front of my mind's eye. Anger, a tight ball in the middle of my chest, pushed its way right into the front of my brain, shoving out any nagging fear and doubt that had been there. "Not all of them, surely. I distinctly recall that many of my people were killed in the melee. Unless you are in the habit of bandaging corpses, General, I doubt very much you sent them home."  
  
"I did send them back to their families," Khushrenada answered, looking at me steadily. "Many of those on your ship were grievously injured, not killed. We healed their wounds and sent them home. Une believed we should put them in prison, but …." He shrugged slightly, his eyes gleaming as he murmured, "…I find that removing the brain is quite as effective as imprisonment, ne?"  
  
I knew I was staring at him, but I couldn't help it. That casual comment of his had just left me aghast and gaping, completely shocked. What? – removing the brain—?  
  
A small smile pulled at his lips. "I think you took me literally. To put it more bluntly, Ms. Po – removing you from the equation seems to have removed the driving force behind the active resistance cells. You will not be going anywhere for a very long time. Does that help?"  
  
It took me another moment to recover from the shock. "Ah .. yes..."  
  
He nodded, watching me narrowly. "You would be dead, to be honest. You are not – for reasons that should be discussed at a later date."  
  
"Oh – I see." I stared at him, not really seeing anything except what felt like a thinly veiled threat to kill me. "Then I have you to thank for my life—"  
  
"Not I," Khushrenada said with a small quirk of his lips that was almost a smile. "But again … that is for later."  
  
This is not going well at all, I thought in consternation, gods, not at all. I must control my reactions better. Now I was making a conscious effort to bring my breathing under control and to NOT clutch at the front of my robe.   
  
"You had a concussion," the general went on in a conversational tone, "a fairly nasty one, all told. I'm sure you – with your background – will not be surprised to hear that you were unconscious for a little over three weeks. And I sincerely doubt you recall the few moments you were awake."  
  
Now the pain in my head and legs made sense – especially that stabbing, sick pain that lanced through my scalp when I woke up. "That's … quite a long time." I drew my breath in slowly - calmly, slowly - and looked at my hands tightly clasped in my lap. "Why - "   
  
"It was a long time," he agreed, a strange expression in his eyes. "Une felt it would have been wiser to let you die – but, as I said, there were - extenuating circumstances. You were brought here. And now," he finished gently, "it really no longer matters. A lot can happen in three weeks."  
  
"What did happen while I was unconscious, General?" Gads, my voice sounded strident and harsh even to me. He's not going to tell me a single thing if I treat him like that - where was my common sense? I knew better than that.  
  
He was watching me closely, gauging my reaction to his words. "Do you feel ready to know, Ms. Po? If you'd rather wait, that IS fine." His manner was very gentle and compassionate. "You can do nothing from your current position, anyway."  
  
"Yes. Thank you, General. I would rather know what happened while I was unconscious than not know."   
  
"Very well, Ms. Po. You certainly have that right." He looked directly into my eyes, never wavering, and said, his tone matter-of-fact, "In that time, we have destroyed gundam 02; captured 04 and 05; captured Relena Peacecraft; possibly seen the death of the pilot of 01; and traced the existence of the gundams back to a small group of rebels in the L2 system."  
  
I stared at him for the second time in as many minutes; I tried to speak, but nothing came out. Totally nonplused, I felt terribly vulnerable; my hands were clenched in small fists in my lap. Only my training kept my face impassive and neutral, and even then I wasn't completely sure I was successful.   
  
Woodenly, I stared at him. "I don't believe you."  
  
"I suspected as much. Do you wish proof?"  
  
"Yes, I would," I replied, mustering a hard smile. "And no photographs, please – it's much too easy to fake them."  
  
"I offer no photographs," he said mildly. "My proof comes in two forms." And with that, he lifted a remote control from the opposite side of his chair and pointed it at the wall across from him. Three shelves soundlessly slid apart to reveal a large entertainment center, complete with a late model vidscreen.  
  
He handed the control to me. "Here, Ms. Po. Check any news station you want."  
  
The remote was light in my hand; suspicious, I looked from the control to him and back again, waiting to discover what type of trick was involved.   
  
"Ms. Po," Khushrenada chided gently, giving me a significant look. "Please."  
  
I glanced sourly in his direction - what, I was supposed to believe him immediately? I turned to the center, punched the control with some force and found a news station with an internationally known correspondent hosting the program.  
  
"....and so we find that actually those meteors WERE part of the plan called "Operation Meteor," which was designed by several rebels who—"   
  
My eyes widened in disbelief as I listened to the news anchor – what? … what are they saying?   
  
I tried another station. This one featured clips from the captured gundams 5 and 4 with an announcer's voice over:   
  
"…but the whereabouts of the gundam pilots are still unknown …"  
  
Had I looked at Khushrenada at that moment, I might have seen him smile to himself. As it was, I heard him murmur, "Not everything they say is true, of course."  
  
Shaking my head in horrified astonishment, I clicked the remote, changing to another station.   
  
"So you think, Dr. Ramsey, that this is a backlash of the Yuy assassination fifteen years ago?"   
  
"Yes, Jeffrey, that's exactly what we think. It seems that not only have these men created their 'gundam' suits to gain revenge against OZ, but they specifically picked people who would have a grudge against OZ's power and—"   
  
I sat completely still, rigidly staring at the screen across the room, feeling as though a part of my world had just collapsed. This can't be .. it absolutely can't be … they're dissecting the rebel cause against OZ ...?  
  
Khushrenada sighed, watching the vidfeed. "They guess too much."  
  
He turned to me, one eyebrow up, and said lightly, "If you wish to see more, pray continue. If not, then you may turn it off."  
  
"I've seen enough, thank you." Only the slight tremble in my hand betrayed my feelings; otherwise, everything else was quite normal. Well, except for that bitter, resentful feeling I had to push to the back of my mind; the people of Earth actually had no idea what the OZ organization was about ...?  
  
"Indeed." Treize nodded as if responding to my unspoken thought, his eyes sparkling with interest. "Suffice it to say that removing the head of a serpent usually results in its death." Another small smile crept across his face as he watched me in silence for a moment. "I had no idea how influential you truly were, Ms. Po," he said softly.  
  
Involuntarily I turned to look at him, then quickly looked away. Those eyes - those eyes saw too much, and knew too much - and the fact that he obliquely remarked on a difference in the resistance cells in my absence was not a good thing at all. Most of my military career was built around the idea of staying in the background, assisting behind the scenes, and not having anyone know how I influenced or shaped events.   
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about, General," I replied stiffly, looking anywhere except directly at him.   
  
Treize chucked softly. "Please – call me Treize. I will call you Sally, if you prefer. Most of your followers did, it seems."  
  
I looked at him coldly. "Actually, I'd prefer Ms. Po. If you don't mind, that is."  
  
"Very well, Ms. Po," he said, obviously amused. "Would you like some dinner?"  
  
"I ..." I blinked at him, surprised. . "... yes ... I would." And considering this was the second time he offered me food tonight, I hoped he was finally going to do something. I shook my head and stared at him for a long minute, clutching the anger and resentment in my chest as if grasping a lifeline. It was difficult to see someone as an antagonist if they continued to act in such a contradictatory manner, and do it with such calm and courtesy - but he was the enemy, and woe to me if I forgot that for an instant.   
  
Remember your training, Po, I told myself sternly. He's going to soften you any way possible. Focus on the task at hand - assess your enemy's strengths, their weaknesses, escape, and report. Just get the hell out of here as quickly as you can.   
  
A sardonic twist of his lips accompanied a steady glance at me. "Do you wish for other clothing, Ms. Po?"  
  
See? Right for your weak spot. I gave a short, flustered laugh and gestured to my gown. "General – my current attire isn't appropriate for dining?" Without waiting for a reply, I nodded and said, "Yes, please – I would appreciate something a little more – substantial."  
  
"Very well," Treize said, a small smile curving his lips. "First, however, I think there are a few things you need to know."  
  
He pushed himself up from his armchair, stretched to his full height – and I was struck full in the face with that indefinable something that clung to him. It permeated my every pore with his presence – a masculine, voluptuous magnetism that, if I actually believed in such things, could be considered a huge aura. As he smiled down at me, I felt my eyes widen slightly, my breathing and heartrate increase, and my palms start to sweat - and gods, if that wasn't enough, my perfidious body started swaying toward him. Horrified, I clutched at the bottom of my chair, locking my arms to stop myself from pitching headlong into his side. Good Lord, what was wrong with me ..?  
  
"Please - follow me."  
  
I held my breath, clenching my jaw and watched Treize turn and walk toward the opposite end of the room. It was as if his simple command touched something inside me; without any warning, I found myself on my feet and obediently padding after him, leaving my mind to scream in frustration.  
  
And - and he's absolutely fearless, isn't he ...? . He's not worried about me in the least. That breathless, scary sensation I felt moments before was quickly replaced with steaming resentment. Angry again, my hands itched to hold a weapon of some kind, any kind … even a letter opener would do …  
  
"What is it you would like me to know?" I asked, clipping my words and glaring at him. My head was pounding again, but I was damned if I'd give him the satisfaction of knowing that.  
  
"Several things, really. The first, I believe, is that you need to understand just where you are." He paused, looking at me, measuring me again. The shadow of a smile touched his lips as he continued, "We are located in the small area of Europe which was, at one time, known as Luxembourg. As you know, it is almost completely unpopulated."  
  
"Ah." I threw a sharp look in his direction.  
  
"If you had a horse, you would have to ride for two days before you reached anything remotely like civilization. I would not advise it on foot, especially since patrol dogs are loose on the grounds – as are soldiers, scattered about the edges. At one time, this estate belonged to Romefeller."  
  
I gave him a cold smile. "I don't believe these slippers would be up to the task. But I appreciate the information, nonetheless."  
  
"I only let you know for your own safety, Ms. Po. If you are torn to shreds or shot, my part of the deal will be damaged. Now, then … clothing. There are several choices, of cou—"  
  
"Wait a moment," I broke in. "Deal?"  
  
He looked at me over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Deal," he repeated.  
  
"What deal?" I asked, insistent. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"I will tell you about that later, Ms. Po," he said, chiding me gently. "Patience."  
  
"I ... forgive me, General, " I said between clenched teeth. With an effort, I took a deep breath and reined in my temper. Lowering my eyes to hide my annoyance, I continued, "But the way in which you said that leads me to believe you will be trading me for something to someone …"  
  
Pursing his lips in thought, Khushrenada looked at me and said, "Well … it wasn't simply you, of course … You are – how do I put this …" He frowned a little, looking down, finally nodded and finished, "…ah, yes. Extra insurance."   
  
"Extra insurance…" I echoed, staring at him, bewildered.  
  
Amused, he shook his head slightly. "Call it .. a reassurance of safety for all concerned. Une is not pleased with me at all."  
  
The general walked out of the library toward the back of the large staircase, still shaking his head. I followed him, the nightgown rustling softly against my legs. The air in the hall was chillier than that of the library; small goosebumps danced on top of my upper arms. Quickly folding my arms across my chest and chafing some warmth into the rest of my arms - it was patently obvious to me what other part of my body was going to show how cool it was in the hallway - I ventured, "It's curious you haven't captured the gundam pilots yet. At least, not according to the local broadcast."  
  
"I have not 'captured the gundam pilots,'" Treize replied mildly, looking at me over his shoulder as he stood in front of a small doorway, a key in his right hand. "I had several in my possession, so to speak – prisoners of war. Now I have one."   
  
I stopped rubbing my arms and just held them, trying not to react. Several ... dear gods, he held at least two pilots as prisoners of war... and now he only has one .... Suddenly, Wufei's face flashed before me, soulful eyes large and wide.  
  
Inserting the key into the lock, he quickly turned it and opened the door. A faint, lingering floral scent wafted out of the closet, teasing my nose.  
  
I shook myself slightly and blinked, then tried to discreetly peer into the closet. "I see. You permitted them to go back to their families, as you did with the people from my transport?"  
  
"I permitted them to go wherever they like," he responded, "a decision I will probably regret."  
  
"Ah … that is possible," I murmured, thinking maliciously I only pray that you're right.  
  
A dramatic sigh answered her. "Well, Ms. Po, when one has the opportunity to preserve hundreds of lives which would otherwise be forfeit … validly let them live, in spite of their earned justice …" Shrugging his broad shoulders helplessly, he looked back at me and finished, "…what other course could I take?"  
  
Ugh. This was the Treize I was familiar with, the one from the vidfeed, the one who gave such stirring speeches. This was the man I didn't like at all; and frankly, at this point, I was incautious enough to allow my words and tone to show just that.   
  
"Oh, yes. I'd forgotten the reports from the battlefield about your altruistic acts - I heard so many different things when I was in surgery." I narrowed my eyes and straightened my back, giving him a withering look. "So many of your men would arrive half dead and dying, praising your virtues ... they would bleed their life away, talking about how they needed to protect you ... hundreds of them. Did you plan that, or was that just - spontaneous?"   
  
  
  
Treize shook his head in distress. "Such things … cannot always be avoided," he murmured as he reached into the closet; small rustling sounds snickered from its depths as he rummaged through it.  
  
"If you mean you can't avoid things like death in war, then we agree on that, at least," I declared, my arms firmly tucked across my chest, feeling very unfriendly. "Amazing, though, how many of them thought they had to die just for you."  
  
Treize pulled something dark green out of the closet and eyed it critically. "Believe what you want, Ms. Po. I do not willingly sacrifice lives – no cause is truly worth that." He held the garment up for my inspection – a linen pantsuit, with lined jacket and pants. "A little formal, perhaps. Did you have a preference regarding your clothing?"  
  
"Well .. that would do nicely, I'm sure," I replied, color slowly moving into my cheeks again as I looked at the suit and acutely felt my lack of underwear. An idea crept across my mind, though; I continued, deceptively smooth, looking at him from under my lashes, "But it does seem a bit lightweight. Do you have anything in a heavier material?"  
  
Treize spared a look into the closet before turning completely toward me. "I fear not," he replied, calm and assured, a small smile around the sides of his lips as he handed me the outfit. "However – the dogs would get you anyway."  
  
I accepted the clothing, staring mutely at him as my cheeks turned pink. ...caught...  
  
"I have no underthings for you at this time," he continued, closing and locking the closet door. "I will have something sent to you shortly – but please accept my apologies for now."  
  
I just nodded, not looking at him; my face was on fire - at least my cheeks were burning with embarrassment. Having someone discuss the intimate details of my body with me when I didn't initiate the conversation was an unexpected, mortifying 'detail' that I would rather have not shared with the leader of OZ.  
  
As we turned to walk back to the library once again, Khushrenada looked down at me. "Perhaps I should show you more," he remarked casually. "I rather think you can keep one another here."  
  
I looked at him, confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about, General. Who can I keep here…?"  
  
"You will see soon enough," he said cryptically, eyeing me. "One does what one must. This way, please."   
  
I followed him into the hallway, a little dizzy from the returning pain in my head and side.  
  
Without warning, Treize took my hand in his own and folded it into the crook of his left elbow, keeping his hand covering mine. A warm, electric feeling ran from his fingers into mine, then spread down into my arm; I was so surprised that I tried unsuccessfully to pull my hand from his grip. I looked up and was shocked again to find his face next to mine, his gaze apparently searching for something.  
  
"I really shouldn't allow you to walk around this much."  
  
"What? Allow me to - no, no - really, I'm fine," I stammered, suddenly nervous. He was so close, so close; and that electric feeling hadn't stopped, either. If anything, now the air itself felt warm and tingling, charged with something.   
  
"Ah…" Treize regarded me with a tiny smile. "You would never consent to being put into a wheelchair, would you?"  
  
Gods - a wheelchair? Is he serious? My eyes widened as I stared at him. "No – no, I wouldn't, General. I can walk."  
  
"Well, then," Treize said, looking at me with what was almost a flirtatious smile, "perhaps I'll end up carrying you again."  
  
If his objective was to keep me emotionally off balance, he had achieved his goal. Being close to this man set off so many different warning bells that I could hardly think - nor was the pain radiating from my head helping in the least. "I – I don't recall that –" I stammered, becoming completely confused.   
  
"Quite all right," he purred, patting my hand and supporting my weight comfortably. "You don't need to recall everything that happens here."  
  
We walked in the hallway in silence, moving past what appeared to be a large, formal dining, room, and made several sharp turns to the left.   
  
I have to remember this, I thought, bewildered. But confusion and a throbbing, dull ache pushed at my mind, making thinking a difficult, if not an impossible task. Wait … two rights … then where …? …feh - I don't remember…  
  
Treize slowed his pace. I looked up at him again to find him gazing keenly back at me, his blue eyes missing nothing about my current condition. "You will sit down after this, Ms. Po," he ordered gently, keeping a firm grip on me as we maneuvered along what appeared to be a spartan hallway, one very much like a hospital corridor.  
  
Nodding weakly, I closed my eyes briefly and concentrated in simply putting one foot in front of the other, abandoning any pretense of good health, clutching his arm as a balance in a world that had just started to spin. "I – I'm sorry, General," I gasped, "but I would like to sit down now, please …"  
  
He leaned me against the wall carefully and gently brushed several strands of hair out of my eyes. "One moment, Ms. Po. I will be right back – please don't move."  
  
"Hai." With my eyes closed, I lolled my head against the cool surface of the wall. Don't move ...? ...that's funny, I thought, panting slightly. He should tell the world to stop moving instead of me.  
  
Strong hands gently took my shoulders and propelled me away from the wall. Keeping my eyes closed, I felt myself guided next to something cold and metallic, then gently pushed down, forced into a chair.   
  
I looked .. and he had put me into a wheelchair. "But …," I roused myself enough to protest feebly, opening my eyes to gaze at Treize.   
  
He raised his eyebrow, daring me to say something. "Yes?"  
  
I shook my head, defeated. "Nothing," I murmured, dropping my gaze, still feeling dizzy.  
  
He nodded, still looking amused. "You must realize you are still ill," he said, gently touching the side of my head. "You are only human, after all." He pushed me to the end of the hall in silence.  
  
Light spilled from the windows, natural sunlight that was slanted and golden. There were several large plate glass windows which seemed to create a type of balcony above the ground story of the building.  
  
Some of the confusion and dizziness I felt earlier started to lift. "Where – where are we?" I asked, looking around. "I don't recognize this place."  
  
"It's an observation platform," Treize explained as he pushed me into the small alcove. "You can see many different places in the complex at once from this vantage point." Moving over to one of the larger windows, he said softly, "I'd suggest you stand up for a better view."  
  
"Ah ... very well. Just over here?" I asked, rising carefully and moving over to the window.   
  
"Look down, please," Treize said gently, inclining his head toward the first floor. "You may hold the railing next to the window should you find you need to do that. Below you is the second half of the proof I offer to you that what I say is true."  
  
I looked at him, slightly puzzled, then leaned on the railing and looked toward the ground. Without warning, I felt the blood drain from my face and my fingers clutch at the smooth wood of the balustrade. I tried to speak, but my breath caught in my throat; when I finally found my voice, I could do nothing else but stare.  
  
"Oh, no," I whispered, riveted to the little scene below them. Below me, training against an invisible enemy, was Chang Wufei. 


	6. Chapter 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 5  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Gods ... no," I whispered. "Not you ..."  
  
Clutching the polished wooden railing with trembling hands, I stared at the scene below; and my world rocked and spun for a moment, finally settling into place as my stomach twisted painfully on its own.  
  
A figure was executing a difficult kata in the living quarters beneath – a serious, dark haired youth, with smooth olive skin and catlike grace. Again and again he performed the same maneuver, striving for unhurried perfection in every finished stance and position, ignoring his surroundings completely.  
  
It was Chang Wufei.  
  
"Questions?" Treize asked, his half-lidded eyes glittering dangerously, one eyebrow raised.  
  
Wordlessly I stared at the gundam pilot - any control I normally used to mask my emotions and feelings was gone, torn and shredded away. Without my volition, suddenly my mind spiraled back to the first time Wufei and I met, in a forest in central China.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The first time I saw Wufei, he was standing in the hatchway of his gundam. He was thin, so thin, swathed in traditional white robes and leaning toward me, frowning. It was the last thing I expected to see; in fact, given the amount of firepower that had tracked me and my people to this encampment. I had actually expected to see our fate in the shape of an enemy's mobile suit, blasters set and ready to fire. Instead, the woods contained our savior in the guise of a stern gundam pilot and his machine.  
  
"Weaklings should not fight!" he shouted, grabbing a catchline and lowering himself to the ground, obviously upset.  
  
"What?" I asked, blinking at him. That's ... that's a Gundam … it was a Gundam that came to our rescue, I thought, stunned, watching him descend. And this boy is its pilot...  
  
The Chinese youth landed lightly on the balls of his feet, abandoned his catchline and walked toward me, his white tunic glowing faintly in the gloom. "Why do you feel you have to fight an enemy that you know you can't beat?" he asked, scowling at me.  
  
"Because someone has to do it," I replied mildly, watching him approach.  
  
"Did someone order you to fight?"  
  
"No!" I retorted, gesturing to the people around me. "We are all fighting of our own free will."  
  
"I don't understand." Wufei briefly shook his head. For a moment, he appeared to be his actual age - a young teenager, lost and forlorn – as though he truly didn't understand why people would fight when they were not required to do so.   
  
I noticed. In fact, I noticed almost every detail about Wufei, from his physical appearance to his mental and emotional responses. That really wasn't that strange in and of itself - usually, when I met new recruits, I made it my business to notice everything about them, from their facial expressions to their body language. It made things that much easier when trying to weigh whether or not they were sincere in their desire to join us or not.  
  
What was unusual was the immediate response I had to Wufei - an odd, tight sensation that swelled in my chest and threatened to overcome me to the point where I was going to stop breathing. It was akin to a physical ache - but really, it felt deeper. If I had believed in such things, I would have said it was an ache in my soul, something that wouldn't be resolved until I did - something. I absolutely had to do something for him - and it had to be something to help him, no question about it.  
  
"You look – very tired. Why don't you come with us and relax for a while?" I urged, not at all sure if he would come with us or not.  
  
Those fighters with me looked at me VERY oddly. "Sally?" one murmured, raising his pistol.  
  
"No - that's okay." I shook my head imperceptibly and gestured for him to lower his gun. "At least we know he's not our enemy."   
  
Now ALL the rebel fighters were looking at me with the same expression of disbelief on their faces. Steadfast, I refused to look at them, instead keeping my attention fixed on the boy in front of me.   
  
Turning again to Wufei, I smiled at him faintly and said, "Well?"  
  
He looked thoughtful - and then, hesitantly, accepted.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That same boy was there now, training on the floor right below me. He looked as though he had been training for a while, too – there was a light sheen of sweat covering his torso, and he was breathing a little harder than normal.   
  
Oh gods, Wufei.  
  
"It's not as bad as you think, Ms. Po."  
  
I swallowed, turned and looked up at Khushrenada, trying again to make my face blank and unreadable. "Oh?" I asked, compressing my mouth to a thin line as my hands gripped the glossy wooden balustrade.  
  
The expression in his eyes was compassionate as he nodded at me. "If you are willing to communicate, I will tell you over dinner." He patted the back of the wheelchair, continuing, "I will take you to a room where you can change in private."  
  
Staring up at him, still clutching the railing between my hands, I found I could do little more than weakly mutter, "Ah .. very well." I made no move toward him, though – opposition and mistrust and a natural stubborn resistance kept me rooted in one spot, glaring at him. I didn't want to go anywhere at the moment.  
  
"Sit, Ms. Po," Treize said mildly, gesturing toward the chair again, holding my gaze. "It won't hurt you to be civil. You can change nothing at this point, anyway."  
  
I looked at him a long moment. "Yes ... all right," I finally sighed, relinquishing my grip on the railing and sinking back unwillingly into the chair, surprised at how exhausted I felt. Damn. I might not want to obey him, but ... damn.   
  
I averted my gaze from both Treize and the scene below, feeling vaguely guilty that I was cooperating with him, momentarily blocking out reality, and allowed him to wheel me away from the gundam pilot.  
  
No - not just a gundam pilot - my gundam pilot, I amended. Wufei was not just any gundam pilot - I knew him, and he was unique.  
  
Something resonated through my body with that thought, something that acknowledged its rightness. Wufei was ~my~ gundam pilot.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Within a matter of minutes, Treize had moved me from one area of the house to another, just past the dining room and into a narrower hallway. He paused in front of a wooden door, unlocked it and pulled me inside the room. It was a bedroom, much like the one on the second floor, but seemed smaller and furnished in a more masculine manner. The subtle scent of roses drifted in the air.   
  
Treize leaned down and looked into my face, his eyes earnestly probing mine. "Think of any questions you like - I will probably answer them."   
  
I looked back at him in surprise, not saying anything. Any questions?  
  
A small smile played across his lips. He patted my arm and straightened, then quietly crossed the room, walked through the bedroom door and locked it behind him with an audible *click.*  
  
My gaze slid over to the locked door immediately. Ignoring the rest of the room, I pushed myself out of the wheelchair and padded to the door, the nightgown whispering about my ankles. Almost as if I was willing the door to open, I carefully placed one hand over the elaborate door latch and grabbed the handle with the other, took a deep breath, and pushed.  
  
Nothing happened. Pulling on the door did not work, either. I was locked in, with no way of escape.  
  
Damn, damn, damn.  
  
I leaned against the door and sighed. I was beaten this time, but not defeated – losing the skirmish did not mean that I had lost the war. Far from it, in fact.  
  
All right, then. It's time to move to phase two - reconnaissance.  
  
As I looked around, I realized that this room had a totally different feeling than the one on the second floor. That one was very nice, but felt like a "guest" room – this one, on the other hand, felt like someone was actually living in it, or, barring that, that the room was used on a regular basis.  
  
And why did I think that? Glancing around, my mind supplied the visual cues my eyes had seen at once – several books out of place, not much dust on surfaces that were normally used, and one article of clothing that was carelessly tossed over a chair by the desk in the corner. A long white Chinese shirt, much too small for Treize …  
  
…so that means a smaller person used it … and logically, that smaller person would be ….  
  
The sound of a key turning in the lock made me flinch away from the door, suddenly guilty for prying into something not my business.   
  
Wufei pushed the door open and lifted his gaze from the cylinder lock to my torso and then to my face in complete surprise. Small beads of sweat glistened across his forehead and chest, and his shirt was draped over his left arm.  
  
"Wufei," I said, staring at him with a slight smile. That tight, angry feeling that had been with me started to melt away as soon as I saw him.  
  
"S .. Sally," the youth mumbled, looking as though he was going to bolt from the room at any second. He pulled himself under control, though, and gave my face a thorough, searching look. "You're awake now. Are you all right?"  
  
"It's good to see you, Wufei." I smiled gently at him. He looks like he would spook at the slightest noise, I thought, watching him. Aloud, I asked, "I'm fine - are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine. I … I have to use the shower," Wufei mumbled, pointing past me to the bathroom on the opposite side of the room, not looking at me. A slow flush was making its was from his neck through his face, staining his cheeks.   
  
Moving out of his way so he could get to the bathroom, I blinked at him, surprised, "Ah .. well, yes. You .. ah .. knew .. you knew I was here?"  
  
"Of course I knew you were here," Wufei snapped, giving me a dry look as he walked in front of me and tossed his shirt on the bed. "Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Oh .. well … I don't know," I answered, a little perplexed, frowning. "How long have I ... have we been here? I was told that I had been unconscious for over three weeks."  
  
Wufei shrugged, an expressive gesture on his slight frame. "I don't know. I lost track. But you've been out for about three weeks – definitely that long."  
  
I looked at him. My sixth sense - that strange, tingly sensation that warned me of danger - was screaming at me now. He wasn't lying, but all the same, there was something about what he said that didn't feel completely truthful. I was about to open my mouth and ask him another question when he broke into my thoughts, saying, "I … have to shower. Dinner's … well … "   
  
And walked into the bathroom and slammed the door, leaving me to stare at the mahogany patterns curving across the wood.  
  
"Well … that's certainly … different," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sighing, I sat down on the bed and waited for Wufei to reappear. My head had started to throb gently again, as did my leg. I remembered Treize's words, and snorted softly – only human, indeed – what were any of them, if not human? And they, as 'mere humans,' were going to find a way out of this comfortable prison of his or die trying.  
  
The bathroom door hissed open at that moment, sending a volley of steam into the room along with Wufei, a large, white terry towel clutched around his waist. I watched him stalk across the floor to the chest of drawers, his well toned muscles rippling underneath skin the color of caramel. He probably doesn't know how rare he really is, I thought. People just don't look like that any more.  
  
In the years after the great wars, every effort had been made to insure that all people were homogenized, for lack of a better term – entire cultures and civilizations integrated to the point where differences between them seemed minor indeed, and physical characteristics that would have been defining hundreds of years in the past were now simply – gone. I was a good example of such a blending of the physical and cultural traits, for as I was Chinese – totally Chinese by that world's standards – I had heavy, dark blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes. Wufei, in contrast, had the traditional Mongolian facial cast and skin tone; the only possible link to western civilization through his lineage could be heard when he spoke, using the language common to most of the world.  
  
With a sulky, sullen expression, Wufei yanked open two of the top drawers, dipped his hand into the drawers and pulled out what appeared to be some dark, silken clothing, slammed the drawers shut and marched back into the bathroom.   
  
I still sat on the edge of the bed, but now a queasy, unsettled feeling was gnawing its way into my stomach. That boy has a dresser full of expensive silk clothing, I thought, frowning. They all look like traditional outfits ... and they're all in fantastically brilliant colors. That's really ... odd.  
  
The bathroom door opened again, and again Wufei walked out. This time, though, he was fully clothed in a magnificent black silk long sleeved tunic with red and yellow embroidered dragons running down the front, and black silk matching pants. The effect made Wufei look both older and more vulnerable – which, when I considered it later, was also an odd contrast.  
  
Wufei looked at me critically, his arms folded across his chest, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Do you feel well? You shouldn't be up. You weren't well when you were up before."  
  
"When .. when I was up before? I don't recall - when was that?" I asked, blinking at him.  
  
"A little over a week ago," Wufei responded, moving his arms and adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves. Glancing at me, frowning, he asked, "You .. don't remember. Do you?"  
  
"No," I admitted, "no. I don't remember anything. The last thing I do remember is being on the shuttle – and being shot down."  
  
Frowning, the youth shook his head and repeated, "…the shuttle? Sally –" and broke off, with several expressions – none of them good – flashing across his face. "Sally," he started again, staring straight at me, "your shuttle crashed over six weeks ago."  
  
I stared at him, incredulous. Wufei waited for me to speak.  
  
"But … but that's impossible." I looked at Wufei as though he was the only dry land left in a suddenly flooded world. "That's just not possible. …"  
  
"You were very, very, badly injured – your brain lining was swollen, as if you had meningitis," Wufei stated, his face losing all expression. "They thought you were going to die."  
  
Six weeks …."No .. he told me…" I started then stopped, reconsidering; I took several deep breaths and visibly calmed myself, clasping my hands in my lap. This won't do, I have to be calm ...  
  
"What did he tell you?" Wufei asked, his gaze suddenly sharp and piercing.  
  
"That .. that it had been three weeks …"  
  
Tension rolled off of Wufei's shoulders, as if he had been expecting some other kind of revelation. "Oh. Yes, it has been three weeks since you came here. You were in intensive care for most of the rest of the time. And Une had you," he spat out, unconsciously slipping into Mandarin, clenching his fists, "had you on trial for war crimes. You, of all people – for war crimes," he repeated, not quite believing what he said. "That stupid bitch."  
  
I chuckled and answered him in Mandarin. "I'm sorry I missed that. Une probably had the time of her life testifying against me."  
  
"Why?" Wufei snorted, looking away. "Nothing really happened. Treize made his move, charges were dropped – everybody went home."  
  
"His move? What was that, Wufei?" I asked, my eyes narrowing slightly as I considered the implications. Did Khushrenada do something to affect me…? Is that why I'm here …?  
  
"You know – proclaiming that the war was over between OZ and the colonies," Wufei shrugged, staring at the floor.  
  
Quietly, almost so that he could not hear it, I asked, "...what...are you sure? Is the war is over for the resistance - for us, Wufei? Is it over now?"  
  
Shaking his head vehemently, Wufei replied with some heat, "No - it's NOT over for the resistance - there are still groups fighting OZ. It's just something that happened while I – well - just one of those things." A sideways glance at me under long, ebony lashes spoke volumes. "Heero Yuy is still loose – and he's no more dead than you are."   
  
"I'm not surprised," I nodded. "Khushrenada told me .. that he allowed other pilots to leave. But not you, it seems …" I trailed off, uncertain where I to go with that thought. From Wufei's expression, however, it was apparent that I had put my finger on something he felt was important.  
  
"No," Wufei agreed quickly – and it felt almost too quickly, I thought. "He did allow pilot 4 - Quatre Winner - to leave. Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell - pilots of gundams 1 and 2 - escaped. Also, Relena Peacecraft was held here for a short time, but was permitted to go back to her country as well."  
  
I frowned. "Isn't that odd, Wufei? Who allows their enemies roam free after they've been captured?"  
  
Wufei was less kind as he leaned against the dresser and pulled on traditional Chinese slippers, snorting slightly. "Of course it's odd - but Treize always has a reason behind anything he does," he said, curling his lip. "Treize sent Quatre back to him family - and it happened just in time for Quatre to attend father's funeral. The press loved it."  
  
I snorted, shaking my head in disgust. "Ah. A photo opportunity. What a charming man."  
  
Shaking his head, Wufei continued, "No – there were no photos. Word just …'leaked out.' Rumors are more powerful than words."  
  
"Of course," I said, sighing. After a short silence, I tried again. "Then people must believe the war is over. If OZ was rumored to have a weapon that could defeat the gundams - why would anyone fight?"  
  
Wufei shook his head. "You don't understand. OZ did develop a weapon that could beat everything else." Looking directly at me, his dark eyes filled with suppressed rage, he said tonelessly, "It's what brought your shuttle down."  
  
I stared at him. "You – you know what did it? What was it? …what WAS that thing?''  
  
"I haven't figured it out completely yet," Wufei said, "but from what I was able to see, it's some kind of mesh net, made out of gundamium. And it's wired, somehow, so that when it hits your suit – or your ship – it short circuits everything."  
  
"Were you caught that way, too?" I asked, shifting my weight on Wufei's bed, readjusting my nightgown around me. Poor boy … I watched his eyes slide around my body, trying so hard to look at anything except what was so flagrantly on display. And it didn't seem that anything I was doing to cover up was really helping all that much, either. So bizarre, I mused, to be forced to wear something like this – which simply made me feel terribly powerless and exposed, and embarrassed Wufei no end.  
  
Which, apparently, was the idea, I thought, angry and mortified again.   
  
"Yes ... I'm only alive now because Nataku refused me the death I craved," Wufei said, low, a pained look on his face as if he had lost a family member instead of a fourteen story giant robot. "It destroys them utterly."  
  
I pushed myself off the bed, ignoring the pain and dizziness behind my eyes, and walked over to the small window, steadying myself with one hand on the back of a chair. "We need to find a way out of here, Wufei - and we need to find it quickly."  
  
"Un." Wufei looked out the window, then over at me. "It's dinner time. Sit down – I'll take you out."  
  
"Dinner would be nice." I listened to my stomach growl softly as I looked outside, my expression closed and shuttered. Sighing, I looked down at myself again and shook my head slightly, picking at the thin material of my nightgown. "But freedom would be even better."   
  
"Un," Wufei said again, pointedly not looking at my chest, clearly embarrassed.   
  
I was surprised; the boy I knew weighed most things carefully before coming to a decision, and resolving to escape to freedom was a profound decision. Why hadn't he attempted to escape before? I looked back at Wufei mildly. "Ah - yes, Wufei - dinner it is. But I must change into something else – I certainly can't go to dinner in this - " and I gestured toward myself, mocking, " - and I don't want to use that thing that Khushrenada gave me. I just don't."  
  
"Then don't." Snorting softly, Wufei walked over to one of the sets of mahogany drawers in his room and started rummaging, muttering to himself at the same time. I caught a few of the words, whispered in Mandarin – "idiot" and "ridiculous" being several he repeated over and over. He stopped, rocked back on his heels and pulled out an absolutely gorgeous traditional Chinese outfit in dark indigo silk, the pants billowing gently in the air.  
  
"Here." A lofty expression ran across his face as he looked at the ensemble. "I won't wear this – it's girl colors. You'd fit it better, anyway. Treize has ridiculous tastes.".  
  
The outfit flew through the air straight at my head; catching it, I admired the softness and smoothness of the fabric. "Thank you, Wufei," I replied, thinking, ...Treize?...he calls him Treize? "Ah .. may I use your shower?"  
  
"If you're quick," he replied, closing the drawer and gesturing toward the bathroom. "We have only a few minutes before dinner."  
  
A throbbing pain pulsed through my head; I grit my teeth and rubbed my temples, blinking. "I'll be quick." With that, I vanished into the bathroom and closed the door quietly.  
  
Gleaming black marble, highlighted by bronze accents and fixtures, shone throughout the bath, most notably in the large tub and at the sink by the vanity. I padded across the floor to the tub, my bare feet gently slapping across the intricate pattern of inlaid marble spilling across the floor, and glowered at my image in the mirror. I bent to turn on the water for the shower, my hair slipping over one shoulder, my mind working furiously.  
  
First things first, I thought. This taping around my ribs has got to go - it's binding me too much. While the water was running, I snagged a small pair of scissors from the vanity, carefully cut the heavy taping and pulled it away from my body, dropping it on the floor. I looked at the scissors with regret as I put them back where I found them, realizing a single pair would definitely be missed.  
  
Sighing, I knotted my hair on top of my head, adjusted the water temperature and stepped into the spray of the shower, still working on what I saw earlier. Wufei didn't choose those clothes for himself, I thought, allowing the water jets to pound into sore neck muscles as I lathered my arms and legs, he's much too conservative for that. I'll bet Khushrenada picked them out. An involuntary shudder ran through my body at that thought. That's just too ... gah...  
  
Water streamed down my body, sloughing off what felt like a lifetime's accumulation of confusion and grime. A warm and tingly sensation radiated through my pores, starting with my toes and ending with my cheeks. Guilty pleasure, that's what my mother would have called this. I can't avoid it any longer - I have to get out.  
  
I stepped out of the shower and sank down into a plush rug that cushioned my feet, seeming to cradle them in softness and warmth. The towels were just as luxurious as the rug, and just as soft. Moving the cloth briskly across my back, I turned and looked at the rest of the things in the room. Low wooden tables, soaps, gels, fragrances, razor, razor blades ....   
  
Wait.  
  
There were razors and shielded razor blades on the opposite side of the sink.   
  
I looked at my reflection in the vanity mirror; a crafty smile slowly touched my lips.  
  
"About damn time something went right," I murmured as I pulled the indigo silk outfit over my legs. 


	7. Chapter 6

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 6  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wufei – do you have any shoes I could borrow?"  
  
I stepped out of the bathroom, thankfully feeling a bit more secure than when I went in. I checked my appearance in the mirror before I came out; I was surprised to see that I looked elegant, something that didn't happen often at all. My hair, a dark blonde, was set off perfectly by that indigo silk tunic, and Wufei had been right – the ensemble fit me flawlessly, down to the small ties at my wrists and ankles.   
  
And the razors in my pocket gave me some measure of confidence.  
  
"Nothing that would fit you, I'm afraid. My feet are bigger than yours. It won't matter anyway, Sally – have a seat. I can give you socks."  
  
"No need, Wufei," a voice from the window broke in pleasantly. "I will provide adequate footwear. My apologies for the inconvenience, Ms. Po."  
  
Shocked, I whirled toward the window. Unfortunately for me, that was a mistake - the pain in my head, suppressed to a dull, bearable ache, quickly flared at the sudden movement. I grit my teeth, the muscles in my shoulders cramping, a reaction to both my physical pain and the apprehension I felt. I could just make out Khushrenada, standing in the shadows, casually leaning against the sill, dressed for dinner.   
  
"Are you ready?" he asked, smiling. Khushrenada straightened and put his hand on Wufei's shoulder in a familiar gesture. "We are a little late."  
  
"Yes, of course." Be well-mannered and respectful, I reminded myself. Khushrenada doesn't like rudeness, and you won't learn anything if he doesn't like you. I looked askance at the general's hand on Wufei. There was something about the older man touching Wufei that made my hackles rise and forget all about how frightened I felt, putting an unintentional edge to my voice. "It wouldn't do to be late for dinner."  
  
"Well, it's simply a matter of politeness. My people have worked so hard. It's inconsiderate to be late – that says we don't care about them, ne?"  
  
Wufei shrugged his hand off easily; it appeared to be something the boy was used to, a movement that had been practiced many times over. "Let's go," he snapped, marching for the door, already tired of the discussion around him.   
  
Amused, the general watched Wufei stalk out of the room. Swinging his gaze over to me, he raised an eyebrow, gestured toward the wheelchair and asked, "Shall we?"  
  
Oh, no, no, no, I don't think so - we're not doing that again.  
  
"Ah … no, really… I'm feeling quite refreshed now – I can walk, thank you very much." Taking a deep breath, I ignored the pain beating inside my my head, smiled with what I hoped passed for a polite, indifferent expression and, putting my words to action, sailed past Khushrenada toward the door.   
  
Barefoot.  
  
Damn. He didn't give me any socks or shoes. He talked about it, but nothing materialized; honestly, though, at that point I hardly cared. I certainly wasn't going back to look for something in Wufei's drawers, and I absolutely refused to sit in that horrid chair.  
  
Chuckling softly, the general inclined his head. "Excellent, Ms. Po – I'm so glad to hear that."   
  
As I walked into the hallway, my heart beat a little faster. I knew Khushrenada was right behind me, right on my heels - and so was that indefinable something I'd felt earlier. Gods, whatever that thing was, it felt just as large and twice as disconcerting when the man was behind me as when he was in front of me.   
  
Stalked - that's it, that's the feeling, I'm being stalked, I thought, forcing myself not to run, to walk at a normal pace. He's the hunter, and I'm ... not ...  
  
Stiffening my spine, I glared straight ahead. So what? Get hold of yourself. It's ridiculously easy to stalk prey that can't run from you.   
  
I glanced over my shoulder in time to see him close and lock the door to Wufei's bedroom, using a key he pulled from his right trouser pocket. Automatically I cataloged that information, plus the fact that he transferred the key hand to hand after he'd used it, and then put it in his left trouser pocket.   
  
Right. As if you're going to pick his pocket to get it.  
  
Lifting my eyebrows in feigned surprise, I asked, "Is it necessary to lock the doors in your own home?"  
  
"It is when one's guests would rather abandon said home's sanctity," he replied, giving me a level stare. "And I would appreciate your returning at least two of the razors, Ms. Po. Wufei doesn't use them, but they DO make a lovely wall setting. I like the way they catch the light."  
  
I swallowed, staring at him. Damn. "As you wish, General. I had none in my own bathroom." A warm tingle swept across my cheeks as I looked down, dipped my hand into my pocket, retrieved the razors and dropped them into his waiting hand.  
  
Amused, Khushrenada pocketed the blades without inspecting them. "Of course you had none, Ms. Po. You would have attempted to use them right away. As it is, I have no idea if your word is good enough or not. I'm fairly sure you're not suicidal, or you wouldn't even have sheets."  
  
Breathing a little faster than normal, I stared at him. "I'm sure my word is as good as yours, General."  
  
"Indeed." He glanced at me with heavily lidded eyes. "We shall see."  
  
Delectable smells floated down the corridor, teasing my appetite unmercifully. My stomach growled again – rather loudly, too – and I winced, cursing my body for giving off signals of its own weakness. It's bad enough I'm barefoot and trying not to limp, I thought as I followed Wufei, but I'm so hungry I feel as though I could eat a live cow. Feh.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wufei unerringly strode into the dining room and went directly to his seat at the small, four person table. His face partially hidden in shadow, he sat down, an unreadable expression in his eyes.  
  
Close on his heels, I walked into the dining room and followed him over to the table. I settled into a chair next to him and glanced outside, through the large French windows, to the patio and gardens. One of the windows was slightly open; the air was cool, and becoming cooler as the sun set. Fleeting thoughts of escape were firmly pushed to the back of my mind as Khushrenada walked into the room. Oddly enough, that same feeling I had when I first saw him - the one that left me a little breathless and staring - was with me again as I watched him cross the room and settle into his chair next to the open window, waning sunlight glinting off his hair, giving it a bronze cast.  
  
Perfect, I mused. He's ... perfect. The muscles in his neck were well defined and strained against the material of his shirt as he leaned across the table to murmur something to Wufei. I couldn't remember when I'd seen anyone who looked so flawless, so handsome. Even his hands looked strong and supple - and looking at them, I wondered how they would feel if -   
  
Horrorstruck, I yanked my awareness back, feeling my cheeks burning yet again. What in the hell is wrong with me? Who thinks about things like that when they're held prisoner? Gods, I must have hit my head fairly hard when the shuttle went down - I never reacted to anyone like this in the past, friend or foe.  
  
A small shiver ran down my arms, a reaction from the breeze that whispered through the open window and my admittedly bizarre thoughts. I could feel goosebumps rising on my arms, but I refused to ask to have the window closed; keeping it open while eating dinner was a small freedom that I just did not want to surrender.  
  
I had just turned to speak to Wufei when I felt something drape across my shoulders, something large and heavy and warm. Surprised, I twisted in my chair to see Treize standing directly behind me with no jacket – in fact, I was now wearing his, and he was watching me with a speculative gleam.  
  
"Ah … thank you." I left the jacket exactly where it was and stared at him. "I ... I was a little chilly."  
  
"My pleasure, Ms. Po." He sat down again and faced both Wufei and me, his blue eyes sharp with interest. "I sincerely do not want you feeling ... uncomfortable... while you are here. May I serve you some of this delicious squab?"   
  
If I didn't know better, I would have sworn he also knew what had just crossed my mind about him. Blinking, I looked over at Wufei, who was staring at his plate with a fixed, sullen expression, then back at Treize. "Why – yes, thank you," I said, hesitantly.  
  
Lovely dishes were set about the table – Cornish game hens, done to a golden brown perfection; asparagus with a light crème sauce; several different rice casseroles; soup and salad at each place setting, and wine that had just been opened at the table. The smell of all the food together was enough to drive me wild, as I waited for him to serve Wufei and himself before devouring my own meal.  
  
Wufei, on the other hand, paid no attention at all to the general or to the food on the table. Instead, he apparently took a very personal interest in the scenery beyond the window. Treize served him after serving me, giving him generous portions of everything available; however, Wufei's food sat there, untouched, as he continued to ignore it and gaze fixedly out the window.  
  
"Wufei," Treize prodded gently, glancing at him with a slightly disapproving look.   
  
Without a word, Wufei turned, picked up his knife and fork and attacked his squab with a vengeance, his expression sullen and distant.  
  
"This is delicious, General," I said, glancing from Wufei to Treize, feeling the tension between them. "Everything is quite good."   
  
"Thank you, Sally," Treize replied, smiling. "I shall have to thank Ross for doing such an excellent job. The hens were raised on my land, you know." He looked over at Wufei, apparently expecting him to say something in response.  
  
Wufei, however, simply cut his chicken into small pieces and pushed those pieces around his plate, scowling.   
  
"Really?" Some perverse instinct was surfacing, pushing me to distract the general's attention away from Wufei. "It's a gift to be so self sufficient – were the vegetables grown here, too?"  
  
"Yes, indeed, they were," Treize nodded, carefully pouring sauce on his asparagus. "The wine, however, is from France." Without missing a beat, Treize took a small sip of wine, gracefully cut his Cornish game hen into small pieces and murmured once, "Wufei."  
  
Sighing, the dark haired youth unwrapped his napkin and put it on his lap, glared at Treize, then continued to pick and push his food around on his plate.  
  
"Ah," I nodded, looking at Wufei. "If you don't have the right climate, it's difficult to cultivate the grapes." I slid a narrowed gaze at Treize, continuing, "You may be able to bring the plant to you, but it may not bear the fruit you expect."  
  
"Indeed." Treize sliced his asparagus, his eyes glittering, as he gazed at me. "Much easier, in so many ways, than rose bushes are to care for. After all – " and he paused, looking straight into my eyes, "-you must trim roses, or else they stifle under their own beauty and die." He picked up a basket close to him and handed it to me with an easy smile. "Bread?"  
  
I stared back, feeling the subtle threat behind his words but forcing myself not to react. So ... if he doesn't behave, he's going to be trimmed, eh? "Thank you, no," I refused politely.   
  
Treize nodded, his broad shoulders shifting as he returned the basket to its place on the table. "If you're feeling better after you eat – and I'm sure you will – you may join me in the den, Ms. Po," he said, watching me closely. "I'm sure you have questions."  
  
"Ah – yes. I am feeling better, General – I would appreciate that."  
  
"I'm glad to hear it – isn't that wonderful news, Wufei?"   
  
"Yes," Wufei mumbled, not looking up.  
  
Treize sighed. "My apologies, Ms. Po. He seems to be having a bad day."  
  
"Understandable." As I looked at him - sitting at the table, clenching his fork with his head down, not saying anything at all - I realized I wanted him to feel that at least one person was on his side. I looked at him and gave him a questioning smile. The tension between he and Khushrenada was thick and heavy in the air; unconsciously, I turned my body a little more toward Wufei and put my hand near his on the table, giving him my unspoken support.  
  
Wufei turned and looked at me, his eyes dark and troubled. After a moment, his expression softened; he gave me a weak smile, lowering his eyes. He turned back to his food and started poking at it again, but without as much hatred as before.  
  
Satisfied that I had at least coaxed a smile out of Wufei, I turned back to my meal - and was completely disconcerted to find Treize gazing intently at me. Obviously aware of my discomfiture, he picked up a serving dish and handed it to me.  
  
"More asparagus?" he asked, watching me with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.  
  
Apprehension and unease darted through me as I tried to decipher his expression. It wasn't just that he was looking at me, but that he was watching me with such intensity. "Ah… no, thank you," I refused politely, shaking my head, "I believe I'm full."  
  
Nodding, Treize dabbed at his mouth with his napkin, then glanced across the table. "Are you finished, Wufei?"  
  
"Yes," Wufei muttered, still not looking up.  
  
"Homework?"  
  
A short silence greeted that question. "Not all of it," Wufei finally said.  
  
I looked at Wufei. "Have you decided to study something during your … stay .. here, Wufei?"   
  
Wufei immediately looked at me, eyes wide with surprise and shock. "I …," he started, then stopped, clearly not knowing what to say. "…..yes," he finally concluded, looking down at his plate.  
  
I smiled gently at Wufei, trying to look encouraging. "But that's very good, Wufei. Study improves your mind. It keeps you sharp – keeps you keen for any opportunity. Wouldn't you agree?" I asked, giving a sidelong glance at Treize.  
  
"Yes, in fact, I would, Ms. Po," Treize replied as he watched Wufei, a look of triumph on his face.  
  
"I have an exam in the morning." Wufei pushed his chair away from the table and stood, his shoulders slightly hunched. "I have to finish studying."  
  
"Ah. I see. Then good luck, Wufei."  
  
Stiffly, Wufei nodded at me. "Thank you." He glared at Treize. "May I be excused?" he asked, his tone just shy of snarling.  
  
"Of course you may, Wufei," Treize nodded, ignoring the boy's tone completely.   
  
The words were scarcely out of Treize's mouth when Wufei turned on his heel and stalked quickly out of the room, visibly relieved.  
  
"Would you care for any dessert?"  
  
I looked after Wufei; with an effort, I pulled my attention back from the young pilot and looked at Treize, wary. "Ah … no. I don't think so, thank you. Some tea would be nice, though."  
  
"Herbal? Or do you have another preference?" Treize asked, rising from his seat to walk to one of the arched doorways at the far side of the room. "I do have some excellent Chinese tea."  
  
"That would be very nice, thank you," I replied, watching him. "I can't remember the last time I had real Chinese tea."   
  
"In the den?" Treize asked, glancing at me. "It will be brought to us."  
  
"Of course – that will be fine," I repeated. I pushed my chair away from the table and stood in one graceful motion, silk pants rustling about my legs; then caught my balance and walked over to Treize at the other side of the room, ready to follow him to the den.  
  
"Saa … no wheelchair?" Treize walked toward me and put his arm out, concern on his face. "Are you well enough to walk?"  
  
"Of course - I did walk here under my own power." Even though my words were strong and my tone was confident, even a little condescending, I could see I wasn't deceiving him. This is ridiculous, I thought, the throbbing in my head increasing. Somehow, this man can sense what I'm thinking and feeling. I have to hide myself better.  
  
"Yes, but you're barefoot, and the stone floor is cold. Please, sit," he said, taking my arm and guiding me to a wheelchair tucked into a small alcove near the kitchen. "I will not forgive myself if you collapse in my house."  
  
Strong hands steered me to the chair; as I sat down, I looked up at him in confusion and perplexity. "I don't understand you at all," I said bluntly, shaking my head.  
  
"That's quite all right," Treize replied with a small smile, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You have time to try."  
  
What is wrong with me? I was aghast; I never let my enemies see any weakness or confusion. Yet here I was, allowing this man, arguably the most dangerous man I knew, to affect me somehow and move me from room to room at his whim. Worse than that, I actually told him that I didn't understand what he was doing – a complete faux pas on my part, something that he could use against me. At least, I knew I would, had our positions been reversed.  
  
Treize settled me and made sure I was comfortable, then pushed me out of the room and down the hall to the den. I thought I was used to the understated opulence of the house, but the den was yet another quiet shock. Double wooden doors opened into a medium sized room, furnished with several overstuffed leather chairs and oak side tables in front of a lovely stone fireplace. Most of the illumination and heat in the room came from the fire in the hearth; warm and bright, the fire sent glowing slivers of light against the fine woodgrain paneling and the floor to ceiling bookshelves, casting the spines of the many volumes into shadowed relief.   
  
I tried to control my reaction to this room, as well; but libraries had always been places of refuge for me. Relaxing a bit more than normal, I accepted Treize's proffered hand and allowed him to lead me to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace.  
  
"Please, have a seat," he said with a smile, leaning slightly to look at the side of my chair. I frowned and sank into the seat, leaning to the right to see what he was looking at. Our eyes met as he straightened; and at that instant, I felt something flow from him, a force that was stronger and more insidious than any I'd ever encountered. The longer I stared at him the more powerful the attraction became, to the point where I could not look away; and then something expanded and completely filled my senses.  
  
I blinked when I realized he was speaking to me and I had no idea what he was saying.  
  
"Would it be amiss if I offered you a quilt? The fire is warm, but it IS chilly outside – the stone floors reflect that."  
  
"..what? Um ... well … I ..." I stammered, looking into his eyes, feeling uncharacteristically out of control.  
  
"I promise that I will have something more suitable for you to wear soon," he continued, never taking his gaze from mine. "My apologies for the lack of feminine garments here – it has been a long time since a woman was here with me." Laughing softly, he continued, ".. or at least .. a lady."  
  
"… oh …" I swallowed, looking anywhere except directly at Treize, my embarrassement vivid and bright on my cheeks. " … well … "   
  
Raising one eyebrow and waving one hand in dismissal, he declared, "I will get you a quilt – no arguing!" He turned and strode out of the room, calling to someone in the hallway.   
  
I watched him leave, completely at a loss. That something - a presence, for lack of a better term – left with him, and mercifully I felt as though a fog lifted from my brain, allowing me to think again. I slumped back in my chair, exhausted. Gods, how surreal. I have never felt so ... vague, so confused ... with anyone before...   
  
Trying to gather my wits before he returned, my gaze settled on a book left on the reading table next to the other overstuffed chair. Leaning over, I ran my fingers across the leather binding of the tome; it was warm, and old, and impeccably kept. Lifting it in my hands, I marveled at the balanced feel of the book – it was something that was simply made to be held, not reduced to pixels and stuck in a data stream. I opened the book to a random page and started reading. My surprise and shock became complete when I realized I was holding a compliation of poems from the Tang dynasty – and that these poems, unlike the previous book I saw Treize with, were written in Cantonese.  
  
The fire crackled and the wind buffeted the windows, but I heard none of it. I sat curled in the large chair by the fire, my legs drawn underneath me, hungrily reading poetry I hadn't read in years. I lost myself in the beauty of the words on the page, forgetting everything - where I was, why I was there, how I got there. It didn't matter. None of it mattered, in fact. I was unexpectedly transported back to a time before the war, a time when reading books and poetry was something I enjoyed and did all the time.  
  
Outside, the sky turned the color of sapphires; the light was all but gone and it looked very cold. I shivered – the thin silk of my tunic was a weak barrier against the chill of the evening air. Shifting my position so that my body faced the warmth of the fire, I smiled as I read alone in silence for several minutes.   
  
"Ah. So you have discovered my passion."  
  
I looked up to see Treize watching me from several feet away, a smile touching his eyes and a soft, thick, quilt in his arms. The moment I looked at him he started to move toward me, shifting the comforter between his hands.  
  
"These are – beautiful." I gestured toward the book, shifting my feet from under me. "I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed reading this poetry."  
  
Treize only smiled, walked to my chair and bent over, slipping the quilt around my shoulders, behind my back and over my legs, very thoroughly tucking me in. His face was inches from mine; I could feel his breath on my throat, warm and soft. Immediately, every nerve ending along my neck quivered and flared - and at the same time, every muscle below my shoulders went slack, turned to liquid by an unconscious sensuality that saturated the atmosphere around me. I felt powerless, unable to do anything except stare at Treize as he wrapped his arms around me, bundling me in the quilt.   
  
"They are quite beautiful," he murmured in my ear, giving my shoulder a final pat before pulling back and retreating to his own chair. Relaxing into his seat, Treize tilted his head and quoted from memory:  
  
"A lonely swan from the sea flies,   
To alight on puddles it does not deign.   
Nesting in the poplar of pearls   
It spies and questions green birds twain:  
"Don't you fear the threat of slings,   
Perched on top of branches so high?   
Nice clothes invite pointing fingers,   
High climbers God's good will defy.   
Bird-hunters will crave me in vain,   
For I roam the limitless sky."   
  
  
Grateful for the barrier of the blanket, I listened to him, transfixed. Bit by bit, I recovered control over my body as my mind tried to assimilate the idea of Treize reciting poetry in flawless Cantonese - knowing that he read and spoke Mandarin, as well. Reading and speaking one language as a non-native was rare enough, but exhibiting such a deep understanding of both was almost unheard of.  
  
"Ah, but you must forgive my audacity," he said as he finished with a wink, "speaking in such a way in front of one who owns the very culture."  
  
After a moment, I rallied and said, "Not at all – I liked it very much."  
  
Treize nodded. "Yes. I empathize with it, really," he said, back in the common language. "Now – I'm sure you have questions. Do ask before you become tired, ne?"  
  
A beat passed. "I suppose, then, the first question is – why?" I was staring at the fire, bundled neatly in my chair. My eyes moved from watching the fire to flicker across his face, alert and watchful.  
  
"Why?" Treize crossed his legs and looked at me with a tiny smile. "Be more specific, please – or we'll be here all night."  
  
"Ah … yes, all right. Why have you decided to keep me and Wufei here?"  
  
Treize's expression did not change, but something in his manner shifted and became more personal. "Ah. Let's go back, in that case, to when your ship went down. His went down at roughly the same time."  
  
"How long ago was that?"  
  
Treize thought for a moment. "I'd say - at least six weeks. You – and those remaining alive – were taken and put into medical care, on my orders. There was no need to endanger you further, of course."  
  
Under normal circumstances, I was excellent at masking my emotions; but hearing that six weeks of my life had passed without my knowledge was still a huge emotional shock. "... what do you mean ... ?"  
  
Surprised, Treize looked back at me. "You thought I would have ordered you all thrown into prison? Buried alive? Burned at the stake? There is no beauty in torturing the injured."  
  
Color rose through my cheeks as I looked at him. "I never thought so, General."  
  
"It is hardly an accomplishment of which one should be proud," he responded gently.  
  
"I never noticed your organization being so solicitous before."  
  
"Please do not judge me and my views according to my subordinates." Shrugging lightly and sighing, Treize looked regretful. "Unfortunately, I cannot control everything, ne?"  
  
"You mean Lady Une?"  
  
"Ah .. more than Lady Une, I'm afraid. She has enough of her own problems. I fear she's developed a multiple personality while working under me."  
  
I stared at him, not quite believing what he had just said. His voice was low pitched and pleasant, his expression gentle and considerate – but his eyes were cold, and his manner showed all the regret one might show if one dropped a glass on a slate floor. I shuddered under the quilt and swallowed, looking at him.  
  
"Now, then," Treize continued. "In the process of this, Wufei attempted to assassinate me for the second time." Shrugging almost apologetically, he smiled faintly and said, "He failed."  
  
"So I see," I observed, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Abruptly, the cold, assessing stare was replaced with a smoldering, passionate gaze. For the second time in as many minutes, I felt stunned, unable to look away.   
  
"However. I have, Ms. Po, a great respect for strength – a great respect for honor. Honor is a rare and beautiful thing – and how many men do you know who still carry it these days? Honor is one of the facets that makes man the beautiful creature he is. I love and respect honor in any form in which I find it – and to that end, I did not have Wufei executed. He did not deserve it, and had not earned it."  
  
"Ah, I see. He lost honorably, then?"   
  
"He did. Then, Ms. Po, many other things happened that I probably should not bother you with in terms of details …"  
  
"One moment," I interrupted. "Doesn't THAT kind of honor demand that the loser be executed in those 'games?' "   
  
"It does, but - I could not do it. In spite of appearances, Ms. Po, I hate to kill."  
  
Of course you do, I thought cynically, remembering the deaths of the Romefeller pacifists at Edwards.  
  
"I see. You value honor in those you deal with – yet you deign to deal with them in any manner you choose."   
  
Treize appeared to ignore my comment. He smiled to himself, lifted a porceline teapot from a service next to his chair and poured two cups. The fragrent aroma of brewed tea drifted across the room, yet something else I associated with libraries and safety. Treize lifted an eyebrow in inquiry at me and held a sugar spoon over one of the cups.  
  
"Oh .. one, please," I said when I realized what he was asking. "And no cream, thank you."  
  
Nodding, Treize dunked the sugar spoon into the cup once, stirred it, then handed it to me. I untangled my arms from the quilt, leaned across and accepted the cup from him, pleased that my hands were steady and the cup did not rattle against the saucer as I drew back into my chair.  
  
Treize leaned back in his own chair, resting the saucer in one hand while raising the cup to his lips with the other, watching me over the rim of the cup. "To get back to our original topic – I decided to keep Wufei imprisoned near me because he was a gundam pilot – a very valuable prisoner. Especially since the pilots of 04 and 02 were also captured that same day."  
  
I sipped my tea, glad for something to occupy my hands. "Go on, please."  
  
"It seems that Lady Une was quite right about the new weapons we had released. They did end the war." Trieze smiled at me faintly and crossed his legs. "No ship or mobile suit can handle them."  
  
Anger leaped in my eyes, replaced almost at once by mild reproof. "Certainly my medical transport ship could not handle it."  
  
"Of course not. I was surprised that Une used them, really … it was overkill." Shaking his head as if he had been mildly disappointed, Treize continued. "Within two weeks, because of these weapons, the forces against OZ were decimated – including those within OZ that thought to overrun me."  
  
Treize took another sip and returned his cup and saucer to the small table next to his chair, then turned back to me, relaxed and calm. "During this time, Ms. Po, I spent some time speaking with each of the captured pilots. I believe them to be amazing specimens of the human species, do you know that?"  
  
I had become very still, watching him as closely as a mouse watches an owl in a tree. "Yes. I believe that to be true. They're all quite young, as well …impressionable, you might say."  
  
Looking as if he was speaking of a past romance, Treize smiled faintly again. "Yes, they are young – articulate, intelligent – but actually, I would would disagree to some extent, about their 'impressionability.' I could get no information from them. And of couse, I would not allow torture."  
  
Thank the gods for that, I thought with relief. I knew that Wufei would never give any information unless under duress. "Oh?" My tone was pleasant but distant, in synch with my noncommittal expression. "There was nothing of use you discovered?"  
  
Shrugging, Treize allowed himself a small look at me. "Nothing. Other than having my suspicions as to their individual calibers confirmed. By this time, of course, my men had successfully tracked down most of the gentlemen responsible for starting this war. We know there are five people responsible for building the gundams – and these people, for some reason, blame my organization for the assassination of the original Heero Yuy fifteen years ago. They have worked all that time … merely for the sake of getting revenge." Treize chuckled softly at the irony. "It turns out that they weren't that interested in the safety of the colonies, after all. "  
  
"General, I find that very difficult to believe," I replied, shaking my head.  
  
"Believe it, Ms. Po. They were found IN the colonies – in the L2 system, I believe. Something else interesting happened after they were revealed, as well. It seems that the colonies didn't want war after all – only a small faction wanted to fight. The colonies publically decried the gundams and their actions, and quite forcefully divorced themselves from them - in fact, they stated they had nothing to do with the gundams at all. They said the colonies wanted peace – had only ever wanted peace – and that the gundams were not theirs."  
  
I straightened, staring at him, desperately controlling myself. "What? I .. that can't be true …"  
  
"It is, Ms. Po – believe it. The war, in a very real sense, simply stopped – because everyone realized they did not WISH to fight." Watching my reaction, Treize continued. "And now there are only two pilots unaccounted for and only one gundam. Neither the pilots nor the gundam have surfaced yet, thought I am expecting them to do so."  
  
"Oh." I looked at him, aghast, still not believing what I heard.   
  
"After the colonies realized they no longer wished to fight, nor be associated with the gundams, I was able to declare the war … complete. There were no winners … no losers … we simply stopped fighting. Once the masterminds were located, it was easier than one would guess."  
  
My jaw dropped. "YOU announced the war was over …?"  
  
Raising one eyebrow at me, Treize repeated, "Of course. The colonies had stated clearly they did not wish to fight – and in fact, were not fighting. Who was there to war against, Ms. Po?"  
  
"But … but - who runs the colonies now?"  
  
"They expressed a wish to work with OZ, to … how shall I put this … 'pool' our resources for the better good. Lady Une is in space at present, discussing matters with the colony leaders."  
  
I felt slightly sick; my face turned a shade paler. "Do you mean to say … that OZ has taken over the colonies?"  
  
Laughing softly, Treize leaned forward toward me, solicitous. "'Taken over?' This is not a hostile act, Ms. Po. The colonies rule themselves, of course. We are simply joining in a … business merger. If all concerned agree to the terms, of course.  
  
"Now. Since you were asking about the pilots – I still had three pilots, none of whom I cared to execute, and all of whom were now … well … without purpose. Their teachers had been found; the colonies had rejected them; their gundams destroyed; there was no more war. These were children who were fighting, Ms. Po – and as you know, when the war is over, the soldiers go home. These children had nowhere to go – and nothing to do. Hence, their depression upon hearing that the colonies had rejected them and everything they had every done was rather – complete."  
  
I was breathing faster again, trying to control myself. What a nice setup - all Khushrenada had to do was take advantage of the situation. The gundam pilots had everything taken away from them in one way or another – their masters, the people they fought for, their direction, even their beloved gundams – and had been left with nothing. It was clever in an awful way, really – with every physical and psychological motivation taken away, the pilots were now forced to look at what was left. Which, in some cases, was not much at all.  
  
"And what did you do decide to do with these children who were suddenly orphaned on your doorstep?" I asked, clutching my teacup between my hands.   
  
"Well, I had to decide, Ms. Po. I wasn't going to leave them to my men." A significant look passed between us; as I shuddered, Treize nodded. "Exactly. I didn't want them to die – they all have such potential, and they are SO young … so misguided." He turned his head toward the fire for a moment, watching the flames dance in the hearth, and sipped his tea silently. Firelight leaped and touched the ends of his hair with burnished gold; his profile, sharp and distinctive, stood out in clear relief against the yellowish gold of the flames.   
  
"Quatre Raberba Winner, at least, has some family," he continued after a moment's reflection. "Duo Maxwell had none, but he had a place to go. Wufei had nothing. He originated on the colony A0206." Treize turned to look at me, his face in shadow, the fire bright behind his head. "I believe you were stationed near there, once, when you still worked for Romefeller."  
  
I stared at Treize in shocked silence, desperately hoping my face was an expressionless blank. "….A0206?" I finally asked when I found my voice. "Yes … I … I was stationed near there." Breathe, Sally, breathe I told myself, trying to keep myself focused. Memories of the last time I had been near A0206 swam in front of my eyes –  
  
I was on the bridge of my vessel, staring at a viewscreen, incredulously repeating my orders from Commander Septem. "You're ordering the deaths of all the inhabitants of Colony A0206?"  
  
"That's not what I said," my commander snapped, his image slightly blurred. "That colony is ancient. It is no longer useful to us. So before we put it out of commission, we must disinfect it."  
  
"I agree that Colony A0206's condition makes it no longer usable," I agreed smoothly. "But therefore, the inhabitants should be moved to another colony, or the system maintenance equipment should be upgraded. YO448 are germ weapons." I took a deep breath, stared at the screen and proclaimed, "As a doctor – no, as a human being – I cannot approve of such a criminal action!"  
  
"There is a dangerous faction on Colony A0206. This action is necessary to maintain the peace of the Earth system," Commander Septem said, unperterbed.  
  
"But—"  
  
  
  
A hand gently dislodged my fingers from their deathgrip around my teacup. "More tea, Ms. Po?"  
  
"Oh ... yes ..." I blinked and nodded, exhaling quickly and releasing my cup as if it burned. "Thank you."  
  
Silently, Treize nodded, took my cup and placed it next to his own on the low table next to his chair. "Have you heard of the Dragon Clan, Ms. Po?"  
  
Treize tilted his head, his blue eyes sharp and insightful as he poured more tea. "Rumored, of course, since they were all supposedly massacred at the end of the Tang dynasty."  
  
"Ah," I said weakly, still shocked from the realization that Treize knew something about my life that most people didn't. "Yes, I have heard of the Dragon Clan."  
  
"Well … it still exists," Treize replied with a wink, handing a full cup, sweetened as I preferred.  
  
"Does it?" I asked, accepting my tea, pleased that I had calmed down again to the point where my hands were not shaking. I could not remember a time where I had been more upset  
  
"Absolutely," he nodded.   
  
"I'm not sure I'm following," I admitted, settling back into my chair with a sigh. In fact, I had no idea what connection the Dragon Clan had with the war, the resistance or the gundam pilots at all.  
  
"It seems, Ms. Po, that someone attempted to massacre the dragon clan out of fear." Shaking his head in regret, Treize sighed. "Man always tries to kill that which he does not understand. However – they failed."  
  
"Who tried to massacre them?" I asked, confused.  
  
"The Chinese government," he replied, leaning forward and looking at me earnestly. "You see, Ms. Po … the Dragon Clan was the most advanced fighting group in the world. They had bred themselves carefully to be brilliant – deadly – honed to perfection, the perfect warriors – and their own government was terrified of them. However, it seems that some of them escaped the massacre and fled to the mountains."  
  
"But – I don't understand," I asked again, insistant. "That's just odd. Why should the government fear them? Did they have a wish to rule?"  
  
"Not at all. The government feared them because they were dangerous – or they COULD be." Treize raised his eyebrow at me, shifted his position slightly and gave me a gentle smile. "I am a student of history, Sally. Man often attempts to circumvent his personal disaster by acting out of turn. Fear … is a terrible motivator."  
  
I looked at him, my face carefully expressionless. "It seems that some organizations have found fear to be quite effective, though."  
  
"Yes," he sighed, ignoring my comment and its implications. "A terrible motivator – but quite effective. Those of the clan who had survived remained undetected until the first days of the colonization of space—"  
  
"—so they fled to space," I guessed, staring at the fire.  
  
"No," Treize corrected. "They were banished there. Their government was still terrified of them – and found a way, they believed, to get rid of the clan for good. They sent them to A0206, which at the time was an abandoned colony. One that, really, was decrepit – simply falling apart. I may be guessing here, Ms. Po, but I don't believe they were meant to survive."   
  
"Probably not." I shrugged, remembering the condition of the colony when I first saw its readouts.   
  
Treize's gaze slid over me, lingering on my face as he continued, "They stayed there until Romefeller decided it wished to kill them, as well. You must understand – the world had used these people as their assassins. All those in power knew how effective they were – and as Romefeller put forth its designs to rule everyone, their thoughts strayed to A0206 …"  
  
He trailed off and looked at me, sipping his tea.  
  
Finishing his thought, I said tonelessly, " …so they ordered the planet cleared. 'Disinfected,' in fact." I stared straight into the fire, not meeting Treize's gaze, my shoulders hunched forward.  
  
"Correct. But as you know … that clearing failed. Mostly because of your efforts – for which I am grateful.." Treize was silent for a moment. "You are the type of woman OZ was supposed to have, Ms. Po."  
  
I took a large sip of tea and continued staring at the fire, my profile to him. "Those people were innocent."   
  
He nodded and leaned back in his chair, tiltiing his head. In the same tone of voice he used when offering me tea, Treize said softly, "Wufei is of the Dragon Clan."  
  
Involuntarily, I turned toward Treize, my eyes wide with shock. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Wufei was on that colony, with his young wife, when you pulled your forces away. Had you stayed, you certainly would have killed him. Doing what you did, you preserved his life."  
  
I continued to stare at him, unable to hide my shock.   
  
"….yes," he nodded, noting my ragged breathing and stunned expression with a small smile. "that was my reaction, too – but I am getting ahead of myself." 


	8. Chapter 7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Tapestry - Chapter 7  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Face it, Maxwell. He's a traitor, pure and simple."   
  
Sighting along the barrel of his newly acquired pistol, Heero Yuy glanced over at a scowling Duo and narrowed his eyes slightly, annoyed that he needed to explain something so obvious yet again. "Point one: he's never going to leave Khushrenada. He's already said as much. Refusing to come with us when we escaped was a pretty big clue. Even you should have understood that."   
  
"You don't know anything, Heero," snapped Duo, glowering at the assassin with all the force he could muster. "You have no idea why he's doing what he's doing. For all you know, he could be trying to kill Khushrenada right now."   
  
Both gundam pilots were in an abandoned steel warehouse on the outskirts of Luxembourg-Villa, along with Howard, an enormous collection of gundonium, miscellaneous spare parts, and mountains and mountains of abandoned machinery. The massive amounts of structural steel and gundonium were slowly taking the shape of a mobile suit; Duo was sitting cross-legged next to one pile, rapidly firing bolts through several metal flanges with a pneumatic drill, scowling and squinting at Heero through the gloom. Wisely, Howard stayed away from them, opting instead to program several of the other automatic welding machines at the opposite end of the warehouse floor.  
  
Heero stared back, completely unaffected by Duo's death glare. "Right. Point two: he's never going to be of any use to us. He sold himself so he could stay alive. He's given us no information since our escape, and you know that as well as I do.." Snorting softly, Heero shook his head in dismissal and used his pistol to gesture behind Duo. "Just forget about him and concentrate on something that could actually use your talents - like that collection of junk back there."  
  
"You don't know anything, Heero," Duo snapped again, now completely out of sorts at having both his friend and his gundam maligned and belittled by Yuy. Uncrossing his legs, Duo stood up and stalked angrily over to the other youth, his full attention on Heero, one hand curled into a fist while the other clutched the butt of drill, a vaguely threatening set to his chin. "How many times do we have to go over this until it sinks into that thick skull of yours? Did you think it was your own incredible talent that allowed you to escape so easily from Khushrenada's base, hmm? Wufei had nothing to do with it, did he? He never bargained for your freedom at all - never traded anything to Khushrenada for you - "  
  
"I never asked him to do anything for me," Heero retorted mildly, eyeing Duo as he closed the distance between them. "That was a decision he made completely on his own."  
  
"Which could only benefit you," Duo immediately hissed, stabbing his finger at Heero, missing his chest by millimeters as he thrust his face forward, his eyes bright and angry. "And don't pretend that it didn't, either, bud, because it did."  
  
"Stop this nonsense - she is awake."  
  
Thoroughly surprised, both pilots frowned and turned as one to see Trowa striding through the double doors of the warehouse. Nodding to Harold, Trowa took in the situation between them in one long glance. Raising one sardonic eyebrow, Trowa walked across to Duo, gently grasped his wrist and dislodged his fingers from the trigger of the drill, asking "...and what, exactly, were you going to do with this?"  
  
"Nothing," Duo muttered as he pulled his wrist away and cradled the power tool in his arms, glaring impotently at Heero. "Didn't you just say something..?"  
  
Amused, Trowa nodded. "Yes. Sally Po is awake again - but this time, she is fully awake and moving about on her own."  
  
Duo gave the other pilot a strange look. "Whoa, guy, slow down. You know Sally? Is she all right? And what do you mean, again?"  
  
Unruffled, Trowa looked at Duo. "Of course I know Sally Po. She awoke first about a week ago, but her body was not up to the strain. Now, however, she is stronger. She is fully alert and moving about on her own."  
  
"What're you doing, Tro, keeping tabs on her?" Duo scowled, remembering when he was imprisoned at the former Romefeller estate. "It's hard enough getting there without being seen. You must have some good cover." He gave Trowa an expressionless look. "Did you see Wufei?"  
  
Trowa nodded. "I did. He appears unharmed and healthy."  
  
A derisive snort came from Heero's direction. Ignoring him, Duo went on. "Wu told me - when I was there - that he wanted to get her out of there as soon as she could travel. Is she well enough?"  
  
Trowa turned to look at the partially constructed gundam behind Duo. "She's well enough, but we won't have the opportunity to pull her out. My information says that we must make contact with her tomorrow if we are to make contact at all."  
  
"Tomorrow? Are you sure? That's - damn, Trowa, that's awfully quick -"  
  
"I'm up to the challenge," Yuy said, matter-of-fact, concentrating on the computer in front of him.   
  
"Get stuffed, Yuy," Duo said absently, watching Trowa. "So it's only stage one contact right now, right, Trow? We can't pull her out?"  
  
The dark haired youth nodded, his visible eye sparkling. "That's all, Maxwell. That's all we can afford to do right now."  
  
"All right." Duo bent and scooped up an old, battered backpack from the floor and unzipped the front pocket. He dipped his hand inside, frowned as he fumbled around for a moment, then beamed as he apparently found what he wanted.  
  
"Here," he said, dropping something into Trowa's hand. "It's the smallest I could - erm - find. I programmed it, so it's all ready to go."  
  
"Fine. We'll get one chance to deliver and one chance to test it tomorrow."  
  
"It'll work," Duo said, smirking, his head bobbing in assurance.   
  
"Probably," came the enigmatic reply.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I was staring at Khushrenada. I knew I was staring at him, but really, I couldn't help myself. In fact, the more I thought about what he just said - the bombshell he dropped on my well ordered, you're-with-the-bad-guys-and-I'm-with-the-good-guys world - the more acutely horrified I started to feel.  
  
Wufei was of the Dragon Clan; but that wasn't what was making my head spin. Wufei had been on A0206 at the same time Septem ordered me to "disinfect" it. Had been there with his wife - gods, the boy was married? - when my people attacked it, hitting the colony with all the firepower possible, the sole intent to wipe out all life - "disinfect" it - that is, until I ordered them back. And it may have been my people, inadvertently, who almost killed Wufei, and who certainly killed members of his clan. As I thought about that, I felt as if something dull and heavy was twisting around in my gut, slowly slicing a path through my stomach to the base of my spine. Somehow, I had failed him; a part of me felt as though I should have protected him from that assault. I pulled back, but not in time ... I should have been there for him ...   
  
"...and the life of his teacher - one of the five men who were responsible for this hoax of a war. The man who, apparently, raised him...."  
  
Gods, how could I have been so careless, so unthinking, so ... Shaking my head, I looked at Treize and realized that not only was he staring at me, but that he had said something else to me - and again I had missed it, lost in my own thoughts. Damn. Trying to recover, I cast around in my mind for the last thing I remembered hearing him say. "What - who - his teacher?" I repeated, blinking. "He is still alive?"  
  
Treize appeared thoughtful, regarding me from under lowered lashes, elbows resting comfortably on the arms of his chair with his fingers steepled together. He took a moment before answering, looking at me long enough that I wondered whether or not he was going to respond.   
  
"I'm not sure if I can answer that without revealing too much that still is confidential, Ms. Po," he finally said, watching me with a small smile that did not quite reach his eyes. His blue gaze, penetrating and cool, lanced through me to the bottom of my toes.  
  
As if he knew what I had been thinking ... but that's ridiculous ...  
  
"However - I will say that all of this does lead up to one important aspect, something definitely worth your understanding. The Dragon Clan has a high sense of honor. They feel very ... protective ... of the one whom they believe to be the best example of themselves. It is in their nature to feel protective toward this person."  
  
"Wufei," I whispered under my breath.  
  
Nodding, Treize continued, leaning back in his chair. "Exactly. His clan believes they are descended from the dragon god Seiyruu, you know. And, as they believe Wufei to be the best they have ever produced - and yes, Ms. Po, that does mean the best in their entire history - they consider their own existence as nothing, except inasmuch as it strengthens him." Smiling a bit, he finished gently, "Unlike Heero Yuy, Wufei is far from the perfect soldier. He feels too much."  
  
My mind drifted back to the boy I knew in the mountains of China; self doubting, questioning - and, bewildered, I realized that what Treize said was no more or less than the truth. "Well - in any case, it seems we're back to my original question. Why are Wufei and I here?"  
  
"Ah, well, Ms. Po," he murmured, watching me, "you needed to know the background, you see. The colonies did not want their pilots back. Period. They would have executed them, as would our justice system here on earth. So - since, in spite of their youth, they ARE adults, I took them aside and discussed the matter with each of them - just to keep them abreast of the situation." Tilting his head slightly and shifting his weight in his chair, Khushrenada's expression seemed to intensify slightly. "You were still in the hospital during this time, although I was told you showed signs of wakefulness. I had not seen you at that point. Once I saw you, of course, there was no question that you belonged here as well."  
  
"I ... oh," I managed. Several things were bothering me at that moment, not the least of which was my feeling that the gundam pilots were certainly not adults in the sense that Khushrenada was. The man had a preternatural presence about him; the power in his gaze, coupled with the burning intelligence I knew was behind his eyes, made me feel as though I was miles out of my league. I felt as if I needed to weigh every word I said, watch every step I took.  
  
Because if I didn't, an error made now could be ... costly.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Time passed.   
  
And we had been talking ... and talking ... and talking. Never in my entire career had I ever met anyone like Khushrenada. One's enemy was supposed to interrogate you, true - but never in my experience had any opponent actually had a civilized conversation with a captured enemy soldier and patiently explained not only the situation at hand, but his thinking and why he took certain actions during the conflict.  
  
I had the uneasy feeling that if I asked him, he would have told me without hesitation exactly how to escape the mansion without being detected. Too bizarre for words, I thought, staring at him, disregarding for the moment the thread of their conversation. This conversation is just ... surreal.   
  
One forked eyebrow was raised in polite remonstrance. "Ms. Po," he said gently, almost chiding, "please do not judge unless you HAVE been in this kind of situation - when it seems that there IS no right turn. And yet ... one cannot simply sit and do nothing. Action is demanded, at least in some form."  
  
"I try not to, General," I murmured into my teacup, lowering my gaze. "It is difficult to know exactly what to do without knowing all the facts of the situation." It occurred to me, as I studied the delicate rose pattern around the lip of my cup, that his words could be taken several different ways - and that taken one way, he was giving me a veiled warning. Pay attention, Ms. Po.  
  
His posture was relaxed, open, and completely at ease, as if he had nothing to hide. "As I said - the other gundam pilots were either released or escaped - save Wufei, of course. Heero Yuy supposedly self-destructed almost two months ago, as you recall. Only gundam 03 and its pilot have not been found.."  
  
"Do you believe him dead?"  
  
Treize considered the question, appearing to mull it over seriously. "I don't honestly know," he finally replied, looking back at me.  
  
"I see," I murmured, nodding. It was all I could do to not cheer; if they had not found the pilot at this point, then the probability was excellent that they never would. And, considering that he was a gundam pilot, I seriously doubted he was dead. His gundam afforded him some protection against OZ -and the gundam creators only chose clever, intelligent people to pilot their machines. That boy was hiding somewhere, and was hiding himself well.   
  
"You mentioned something about a bargain a while ago - and my part in it ...?"   
  
His gaze slid over and around me, as if he was seeing me for the first time. Smiling softly, he leaned over and gently claimed my teacup from my grasp, his fingers lightly moving near the back of my hand. "I made a decision, at this point in the story, that Lady Une called quite foolish." He poured tea and sweetened it, not needing to ask my preference, and handed my cup back, smiling. Automatically, I leaned forward, smiled politely and accepted the cup from him, then sank back against the cushions, watching him, alert.  
  
"Wufei, at this point, had truly earned my ... sympathy," Treize said, hesitating slightly as if he was not sure what word to use. "The young man is brilliant - well educated, considering his isolation; physically incomparable to any other young man his age. And," he continued, shaking his head, looking sad, "he had nowhere to go. Nothing to do. No direction. This war was a waste for him - a personal vendetta. I offered to have him stay here, at least until he found somewhere else he'd rather be."  
  
"And he accepted?"  
  
"He did," Treize remarked casually, "with an agreement. He wished Duo Maxwell released, as well as you and all your people." Khushrenada sighed, looking at me with a wry expression. "I could not release any of you legally - but Duo's abilities came in handy. I agreed with him, in any case. You are not criminals, and should not be treated as such."  
  
I was staring at him again from the relative safety of my cocoon, huddled against the cold and unfamiliar feeling of being completely out of control. "You ... released ..?" I started to ask, my voice weak and slightly shaky. Taking a deep breath, I pushed my trepidation behind me and asked, making my voice stronger, "and - how did Duo assist you?"  
  
Chuckling, Treize shifted his shoulders and settled his back against the chair. "Not as much as I'd hoped. Mr. Maxwell initially refused to leave - but he did help those whom I trusted break your men out."  
  
"So they are free," I murmured, breathing a sigh of relief.   
  
"Oh, yes, Ms. Po, absolutely. You are not, though, for various reasons - several very practical ones being that you were under heavy guard and could not walk under your own power - nor, I suspect, carry a gun." Amused, Treize looked at me. "I brought you here so you would be safer, and not alone. And then, two days later, Mr. Maxwell escaped."  
  
"I'm not surprised," I retorted mildly. Looking past the darkened windows to the grounds outside, I nodded and frowned, "...but ... I don't understand. You told me that this place was not close to any real city-"  
  
The general leaned toward I and looked me straight in the eyes. "I am convinced he escaped with outside help, Ms. Po," said, he said, his blue gaze unwavering. "Because otherwise, he would not have left without Wufei. Of course, Wufei refused to leave. He gave his word."  
  
"Of course - his honor," I realized.  
  
Nodding in assent, Treize looked at me with half lidded eyes, hiding a small smile in his teacup. "I do so appreciate an honorable man. There are so few in this world."  
  
A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. "So. Wufei gave his word to you that he will not escape?"  
  
"He did," Treize acknowledged. "It would not be safe for him to be anywhere else. First, he has nowhere to go - second, any who recognized him would attempt to either capture or kill him on sight. He is very unique physically - he cannot simply blend into a crowd."  
  
"But didn't you say this was just temporary for him?"  
  
"Oh, certainly - but he has learned to trust my judgment." Putting his cup on the low end table next to his chair, Treize moved a little closer to me. "I do not mean him harm, Ms. Po. I wish him to be the best that he can - to reach his potential. To that end, I have set up training and education for him while he is here." A small, appreciative smile crossed his face. "None of his skills will be wasted, and it gives him something to do. It's easier not to think, then. He still blames himself for the death of his wife."  
  
...his wife died? gods... my men killed her .... "Ah ... I ... see," I said, coughing.   
  
The general raised his eyebrows as I choked, but said nothing." And I let him duel with me on a daily basis," he continued smoothly, watching me. "Hand to hand, knives, whatever he likes. The thought of my death interests him so much that when I offered him the opportunity, he decided to stay. He will stay here as long as I feel it is necessary." A wry look briefly crossed his face. "Or until he kills me. So far, he has not won our duels - but he is getting closer. If he wins, Ms. Po... he will have nothing at all to keep him alive - and that would be utterly tragic. You are here, really, because he requested it - and because I wish him to have SOME other purpose to his life other than visualizing my death, ne?"  
  
Horror moved slowly through my veins, causing my breath to quicken as I looked at him. "He - he duels with you? On a daily basis?" Without warning, that protective instinct toward Wufei asserted itself again, stiffening my spine as I glared at him. "Where on earth did he get the idea that he needed to assassinate you?"   
  
Not that it's a bad idea, per se, but really ...  
  
"When Septem's men attacked, one of them shouted my name as Wufei killed him - really, it's that simple. Wufei believes that I killed his wife, indirectly, in that raid in which you were a part. Even knowing the circumstances of his wife's death has not dissuaded him."  
  
Blue eyes gleamed with amusement and something deeper as I inhaled sharply, reminded again of how I was involved in Wufei's wife's death.  
  
"He used to be a scholar, Ms. Po - not a warrior. I am trying to reignite that passion. Perhaps then he can find a goal in life, other than killing me." Moving his head to one side, the general watched me with what I could only describe as a keen, steady gaze. "Wufei requested that you be brought here, which ... surprised me. Once it was clear you would be well enough to do so, you were. You have been here for several weeks - and you are now caught up with the story, inasmuch as it goes."  
  
I looked at the fire, then back at him. "Yes - I am well and truly 'caught up' now."  
  
"Questions?"  
  
I sighed. "No. None at the moment, at any rate."  
  
He nodded. "Please don't make me regret bringing you here, Ms. Po. I did so because Wufei wished it, and, except for that request, has expressed no desire other than my death in weeks. You are here as my guest, even though legally you are my prisoner. I would rather not keep you confined."  
  
"I will remember that, General," I replied politely. And you could be sure that I would, too.  
  
He gave me a small smile. "That expression MUST have a statement behind it. You may tell me what you think, you know. I am certainly aware of your feelings. You won't shock me."  
  
"You mean I can trust you?" I snorted softly to myself. Now there's a novel idea.  
  
"You may always trust my word, Ms. Po. I do not lie, nor do I break my word. You may ask Wufei." Khushrenada leaned forward and looked into my eyes. "I have done nothing to him that was not without his express consent."  
  
I stared at him from the safety of my blanket, thinking about the mounds of colorful clothes in Wufei's drawers; the familiar hand on Wufei's shoulder before dinner; the way Khushrenada had watched him when he was exercising, with that slightly predatory expression; and the way Wufei looked and acted when I was alone with him, as if there was something he just didn't want to talk about.  
  
....gods....  
  
That feeling I had toward Wufei - the one where I wanted to defend him against whatever I felt was threatening him - was now a tight ball in my chest, perilously large, ready to explode outward; and along with it was an insistent, compelling urge to get him as far away from Khushrenada as possible. This man was dangerous to Wufei in ways I didn't even want to consider.  
  
But he won't go, whispered that annoyingly accurate voice of mine, you know that. He promised Khushrenada - and his word IS his bond. Unless the general releases him, he will not leave, no matter what.  
  
I ground my teeth in frustration. Well, I can still try to persuade him, can't I? In the meantime, I can also work against Khushrenada - subtlety, of course. I may not be free, but I'm certainly not dead. And 'subtlety' was a key word for me. I knew that anything I did or said needed to be handled ... delicately. Not with my usual flair.  
  
"Age and experience play into many things, General. And there is such a thing as 'informed consent,' you know," I said, careful that my voice was a neutral, colorless tone. No reason to offend him immediately - I was reasonably sure I was going to offend him plenty of other times.  
  
"I do not practice 'informed consent,' Ms. Po. It seems .... deceitful to me," he responded, glancing at me. I could have sworn there was a slight, amused twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"Ah, well - I would hate to believe that Wufei was ... taken advantage of because he was ... inexperienced," I murmured, still keeping my tone colorlessly disinterested, looking up at him from under lowered lashes.  
  
"That would be ... terrible," Treize agreed. "Fortunately, he is under my protection."  
  
I closed my eyes briefly - oh, yes, having the sheep under the wolf's protection is ALWAYS such a good idea - then looked into my teacup. "Oh .. yes. That is true."  
  
Treize paused for a moment. His voice suddenly took on the strength and timbre of a teacher's voice as he reproached me. "Don't assume, Sally. It's not becoming."  
  
I was shocked; turning to look at him, I felt the blood drain from my cheeks and a cold fist twist in my stomach. Somehow, this man had divined what I had been thinking and had answered it. Again.  
  
Holding my gaze, he asked pleasantly, "Would you like some more tea?"  
  
He was completely at ease - and I was so .. not. "Ah... no ... thank you. I don't think so."  
  
"Would you like anything else?" he asked, solicitous. "I will have more clothing for you soon. The doctor thought you'd be sleeping for at least three more days, actually." Smiling right at me, Treize said, "You're making a wonderful recovery!"  
  
"And .. who is my doctor?"  
  
"Dr. Sarah White," he answered.  
  
"I don't know her," I frowned, thinking.  
  
"Perhaps not," he allowed. "But she was stationed with you during your patrol in the Pacific. She is very capable. You'll be seeing her tomorrow." Treize was putting everything away as he chatted, deftly making room for my cup on the tray. "She'll need to do a final examination before she'll clear you to do any type of physical activity, you know."  
  
"Of .. course..," I muttered, watching him. What kind of physical activity could he possibly be thinking of?   
  
"Ah... but what a poor host I am." Treize leaned toward me again, looking very concerned. "Do you like your room?"  
  
Do I ... do I ... what ...?.. It took several moments for me to process exactly what it was he was asking me - and when I did, I was anything but circumspect. "Do I like my room? Do I have a choice?"   
  
He shocked me again by bursting into laughter. "But of course you do!" Waving one hand that encompassed the entire house, he continued, "Prove yourself trustworthy to me, Ms. Po, and you will have all the freedom you could wish for, with one single exception."  
  
"Why, thank you, General," I said, glancing sideways at him. Right, now - let's try a little test, shall we? Giving him a sunny smile, I said, "But you realize, of course, that that bit of information means that all the doors in your house would need to be unlocked. And what, exactly, would be that one single exception?"  
  
"Saaa ... it would," he said, leaning back and considering me, a thoughtful expression on his face. "And the exception is, of course, your ultimate freedom. Not to mention, of course, that you'd be arrested before you could get anywhere, even if you DID manage to run off the property."  
  
Well, that was rather serious. "What .. what exactly do you mean, General?" I wasn't playing - there was no question of any pretense or artifice now.   
  
Treize raised one forked eyebrow at me. "Well, Ms. Po ... you are known as a war criminal."  
  
"A war criminal?" I broke in, incensed. "That's absurd!"  
  
"You were part of the war. Part of the guerilla aspect, actually."  
  
"That would mean that everyone involved was a war criminal," I snapped. A war criminal? Me? Completely absurd ...  
  
"Une was not the only one of my people to bring charges against you," Treize said, his tone gentle. "The trial was held while you were in a coma. You are considered a very powerful influence, Ms. Po."  
  
I ignored his last remark - frankly, it seemed safer that way. But I couldn't keep the sarcasm from my tone at all. "Did I do well defending myself? While I was in the coma, I mean?"   
  
"No," he replied mildly, "but your lawyer did. Whom I hired."  
  
Well. That took me totally by surprise. I sat there and stared at him for what felt like ages. "Oh," I finally said. "But I was convicted."   
  
"It was decided that your crimes were not on the level of Tsubarov, nor anything at all like Septem, nor any of the five who created the gundams. In the end, you were considered an accessory - and that was due, in no small part, to your lawyer - but it is something that I don't honestly believe to be true."   
  
His gaze became piercing; if I thought it was bad before, the intensity skyrocketed at this last bit of information. "That means you are not sentenced to life in prison, but to house arrest. You are not a woman easily influenced. I know and you know that you acted on your own accord, under your own direction."  
  
Now another piece fell into place, and something finally hit home. "I ... wait. House arrest? Does that mean that you - you are my ... guardian?"  
  
"Yes, for the time being." I stared at him, not knowing what to say. He raised his eyebrow at me and continued. "Right now, though, the world considers you poorly used - which is good, or else they would hate you in the same manner they hate the gundam pilots." Tilting his head and leaning back in his chair, Treize finished, "So yes. You are ... 'mine.' In a way."  
  
I shifted under the blanket and looked down, just to have somewhere else to look besides his face - perfect or not, it was beginning to really bother me. Guardian? I didn't like that at all. Wufei imprisoned here, and unwilling to escape? I didn't like that either. And the way Khushrenada looked at Wufei? Not good or healthy for Wufei. This was not shaping up to be a good situation for either one of us.  
  
"Ms. Po." His voice was even, measured; when I looked up, I found myself looking into eyes that appeared to be open and honest. "Feel free to say anything you like. I will listen, and gladly dialogue - but there is probably little you can change here."  
  
"Oh, I realize that, General," I said. My gaze flicked from his face to the fire. It was infinitely easier for me to look at the fire when talking to him than to look at his eyes. "I am in control of precisely nothing. I have an identity that allows me no freedom whatsoever - a companion who craves my company enough to prevent my imprisonment away from him - and an urbane jailor. What more could I possibly wish for? Except, perhaps, for underwear." I shook my head slowly. "But it is completely obvious that in the time I was - 'away' - my entire world was turned inside out." Well. I hadn't planned on saying all that. I could feel the heat flash across my face as I stared into the small flames dancing in the hearth.  
  
"Ms. Po."  
  
Sighing, I glanced over at the general. He was still seated, but was looking at me now with an expression that was - for lack of a better word - kind.   
  
"You could look at it another way," he said gently. "Especially since much of one's personal circumstance DOES depend upon one's outlook."  
  
I nodded wearily. "That is true, General. I am alive, and relatively unharmed."  
  
Holding my gaze, he said, "Yes - your life, such as it was, is gone - but you knew that could happen when you chose your current profession. So, in a sense, your worst fear has happened. You lost the war." His gaze locked with mine; I could not look away as he continued, "But you are not dead, nor in prison - not really. This is no more restricting than the average boarding school; less so, in fact. And you have proof that at least one person cares for you greatly, enough to attempt to bargain for your presence. You have your life ahead of you, Ms. Po. It may not be as bad as you think, and will be full of opportunity."  
  
I closed my eyes and lowered my head, not trusting myself to say anything. I knew - knew that Wufei cared for me. How I knew that, though, was something that I really didn't understand. And somehow, this man knew it, too - and that was alarming in and of itself. To be known and understood by Treize Khushrenada was ... frightening.  
  
Unexpectedly, he reached over and touched the side of my face, a small smile on his, then withdrew. "This is NOW, Ms. Po," he said, his voice still gentle and soft. "Given time, those who felt you were a threat will cease to feel so, and you will be freed. You must simply have patience." A twinkle touched his eyes as he looked at me, gently demanding my attention again. "And be glad, on top of all this, that the one who 'has' you at present is not one who will take advantage of you." He raised his eyebrow at me and gave me a small, teasing smile. "Underwear or not."  
  
".......oh..."  
  
There are times when I can come up with witty rejoinders to almost anything anyone says immediately. This, unfortunately, was NOT one of those times; about the only thing I could do was stare at Treize and cringe inside my blanket, brave resistance leader that I was, feeling as if my face was turning the color of ripe tomatoes.  
  
And he's smiling at me, dammit, smiling and not letting me look away ... gaahh.....  
  
".....thank you......"  
  
"I am sorry I cannot offer you your freedom - but the loss of that was a choice and a risk you understood and took when you became a vigilante."  
  
"Vigilante? I wasn't a vigilante," I said, sitting up a little straighter. What the hell ..? "That's ridiculous."  
  
Treize shrugged. "Perhaps. It was much nicer than some of the other terms that were given out. Tsubarov, in particular, had a bad time of it."  
  
And that's because he was a psychotic monster, I thought angrily.  
  
"...but you set yourself up against the established government in your own pursuit of justice. 'Vigilante' works."  
  
I snorted. "I don't think so."  
  
"Well," Treize said thoughtfully, "I would like to hear your side sometime. The war is over, and we are at peace - but I still must question if I was right. I would like to know ... if I did the right thing."  
  
I glared at him. Is this guy for real? "You heard my side - in court, remember? The lawyer you hired told my side of the story - to the people that were chosen for the jury, and to the judge that was chosen to sit on that case. Everybody heard the story they wanted to hear." I scowled and sat back in the chair, piqued beyond belief. He wants me to tell him why I was fighting, after I was convicted by that bogus kangaroo court? Ha. I don't think so.  
  
Snorting softly, Treize looked at me and said, "That was not your side. I am well aware of that. Unfortunately, there was no one who could present it accurately - and if there had been, you might have received worse than house arrest. OZ is quite popular now. I do not know why you fought. Someday ... I would like to."  
  
I'll just bet you would. You keep that little idea in your head, I thought angrily.  
  
He looked at me again, a strange expression in his eyes. "I also believe in taking action, Ms. Po. Don't forget - I overthrew Romefeller. They had grown to the point where they no longer considered human needs. I believed that was wrong ... and acted on it. You did the same. I hold you no bitterness."  
  
Well, now, there was something that was downright uncomfortable to think about. That actually meant that we - Treize and I - were more alike than I cared to think about. I shifted in my chair again and looked at the fire, at the floor, basically anywhere except directly at him. That was just a little too weird for me right now.  
  
"You never did answer me, you know -"  
  
I blinked, looking up at him, puzzled. "What?"  
  
He smiled at me, very non-threatening. "Do you like your room? Or do you wish for another?"  
  
I stared at him for a moment, trying to gather my wits. What was I supposed to do? "Well .. it seems fine enough .. I have nothing to compare it to. I lack for nothing-"  
  
"I wasn't sure if you'd prefer being closer to Wufei or not ...?"  
  
At the mention of Wufei's name, I sat up straighter and looked right at him. Well, of course I wanted to be closer to him - but I feared some kind of trick on Khushrenada's part.   
  
Treize simply looked at me, inquiring. "Ms. Po? Is there a problem?"  
  
I started, but fortunately recovered quickly. "Oh, no, General, no problem. I would like to be closer to Wufei ... but I didn't want to be any trouble."   
  
"Ah, you are certainly no trouble at all. I do want to emphasize that you will be living here for some time, and I do wish you to be as comfortable as possible. Should you find you need anything, simply tell me. Please feel free to borrow any of my books - of course, the television is here - you already know how to work that. As for the telephone - is there anyone you wish to call?"  
  
I stared at him as if he just sprouted another head from his shoulders. "Call?" I repeated stupidly. "You must be joking."  
  
"Ms. Po," he said, raising his eyebrow, "why would I be joking? You are under house arrest. You are not in solitary confinement. Of course," he continued, his tone dry, "I would appreciate no terrorist activities while you live in my home. Certainly, that isn't too much to ask - but you may use the telephone when you wish. Simply let me know. Now - DO you have anyone you need to call?"  
  
"Ah .. well .. no. I can't think of anyone who I would call right now .. really..."  
  
"If you prove trustworthy enough, I will have a telephone installed in your room. But I don't know you yet," he finished gently. "Wufei ... I trust. Please take no offense in my current doubt about you. I simply don't know you."  
  
"Well - that's reasonable," I said, looking him. "You only know of me."  
  
Nodding, Treize continued, "..and that Wufei trusts you - which, to me, means quite a bit." He reached out, took my hands and drew me out of the chair, his touch firm and steadying. "Let's go choose a room for you near Wufei, shall we?"   
  
I turned my face up to answer and was shocked to find his about three centimeters away from mine, his blue gaze right there. At that range, it was easy to see that even his skin was flawless. Plus ... being that close to him ... oh, it did something to my hormonal levels that I couldn't begin to control or describe ...   
  
"You're recovering beautifully," he murmured to me. "You look fine - you're coherent. Dr. White will be pleased. Come, now. Sit here." And he pulled the wheelchair over from the alcove and waited for me to sit down.  
  
Fortunately for me, Treize had to move away to get the wheelchair; otherwise, I would have simply been standing there staring at him, mesmerized by whatever power it was that flowed effortlessly like water from his body to mine. As it was, I had to shake my head a little just to clear it while his back was to me.  
  
"I'm glad you approve, General." When he turned back, I realized he was going to wait - patiently, it seemed - until I gave in and did as he asked. I sank into the chair with a sigh.  
  
"I do approve, Ms. Po. I want to see you well, whether you choose to believe me or not."   
  
Several minutes later we were outside Wufei's bedroom, and Treize was gesturing to several other doors in the hallway.   
  
"Please, Ms. Po - choose any one you like. They are all unused. Wufei chose this room for its proximity to the library and the exercise room. I certainly hope you'll take advantage of both as you strengthen."  
  
At this point, any room would do - I suddenly felt extremely tired and a little dizzy. "This one, then - it should be fine."  
  
Nodding, Treize pulled out his keys, unlocked the door, then pulled the door open. Handing the key to me, he pushed the door a bit wider, then rolled me into the room.   
  
I did notice something then that I didn't really think about until later - Wufei's room smelled of roses; and my room upstairs had smelled of roses; but THIS room did not smell of roses. Just something that was filed away in my brain to be examined another time.  
  
"Is this acceptable?" he asked, bending down to me.  
  
I looked around - the room was lovely, done in a masculine touch. It seemed a little impersonal, but that could change, of course. And the bed looked particularly inviting to me ...  
  
"It's very nice, General. I'm sure I'll be very comfortable here," I said, wishing he would leave so I could collapse on the bed.  
  
He moved over to one side of the wheelchair and helped me out; and then, very unexpectedly, walked me over, gently pushed down on my shoulders and sat me down on the bed. He bent over so that we were eye to eye, keeping his hands on my shoulders, and started talking to me.  
  
"If I can trust you, Sally, then you will not be confined here completely. I WILL take you out with me as much as I legally can - but you must prove yourself." His voice was gentle, but his manner was firm. "I remember infractions, and I act accordingly."  
  
  
Well, this was getting weirder by the second. I clenched my jaw and told myself NOT to pull back, that I would be all right no matter HOW close he came to me. "O...okay... I understand..."   
  
He slid his hands from my shoulders to my back, straightening as he gently patted me, leaving a warm, electric trail where his fingers and palm had been. "Do sleep well, Sally. If you enjoy the opera, Wufei and I are going this weekend. It is now Monday, in case you were not sure. I will be by with Dr. White in the morning."  
  
"R..really?" I stared at him, hating my voice for sounding so plaintive. "I would like to go."  
  
He gave me a broad smile. "Yes, absolutely. By that time you should have suitable clothes. Now, should you require anything else, don't hesitate to knock on Wufei's door. He won't mind. And, of course, he knows where my room is."  
  
I swallowed. Now there's an association I didn't need to make. "I'm sure I won't need anything."  
  
"Once I know you won't use your razors to attack me in my sleep, I'll certainly tell you where my room is. For now, though, messages will have to come through Wufei to me in the dead of night."  
  
"Ah," I said, feeling my face grow hot again, "I understand your caution. I would be careful, too. Good night, General."  
  
"Good night, Ms. Po."  
  
He finally left, closing the door softly behind him. As soon as the man was out of the room, I drooped. Literally. I had almost reached my limit, but not quite - there were still one or two things I wanted to do before I went to sleep.  
  
Sliding off the bed - it was surprisingly high - I walked into the attached bathroom. Nice, very nice. It was essentially the same as Wufei's, with a different color scheme. Looking at the tub, I suddenly felt the urge to take a long, soaking hot bath, something that would draw the tiredness and confusion out of my muscles for me.  
  
Binding my hair on top of my head, I indulged myself. I sat in water that was so hot it was just bearable; the heat slipped into my shoulders and loosened the knots around my neck.   
  
Toweling myself dry and slipping into the pantsuit again - because, really, I had nothing else to wear, and I certainly wasn't about to crawl into bed naked - I left the bathroom.   
  
Just one more thing to do before bedtime.  
  
I padded over to the door, turned the knob, and - heh - was pleasantly surprised. Khushrenada had NOT locked me in. Slowly, slowly, I opened the door and peered outside my room.  
  
The hallway was deserted, but there were noises coming from Wufei's room - and there was a light shining under the door. Quickly, I pulled myself back into my room, leaving the door open just a bit - but it was large enough to see and hear Wufei as he flung open his door and stomped down the hall toward the library, his face flushed and scowling, clutching a book in his hands.  
  
What the hell is going on? Puzzled, I stuck my head out the door a little farther and watched him march down the corridor, then swung it back to look into his room. And - oh.   
  
My.  
  
There was his desk, littered with papers. There was a light on at the desk, peppering golden light all over the papers and books spilled across the desk. And there was Treize, leaning against the desk, sitting in a chair with the top of his shirt unbuttoned, a rather casual, tousled, look for him. Plus .. that pulsing, sensual, something that seemed to accompany him wherever he went was right there with him. It surrounded him - it just seemed to ooze off him, and he wasn't even doing anything to actually make it happen - it was just ... natural. Part of him. Gods, that's something the vidflicks certainly didn't pick up. No wonder people went wild when they saw his speeches in person.  
  
But - now - what the hell was he doing with Wufei? I couldn't move, let alone look away; I felt like I was frozen in place. And when he noticed me, what did he do? He gave me a beautiful smile and put one finger to his lips, as though he was telling me, 'shhhhhhh, be quiet.'   
  
Then, faintly, I heard a door slam, and I knew that was Wufei leaving the library and coming back to his room. I knew I had to turn away and go into my own room, but I couldn't move. Treize looked straight AT me while this was flashing through my mind, and - he knew it. He knew I couldn't move; and he leaned forward a little, looking right into my eyes and mouthed the words, " ... don't ... assume ..."  
  
....I thought my stomach was going to drop out of my body.  
  
Fortunately after that I found I could move, so I pulled myself back into the room as fast as possible and softly closed the door. I could still hear Wufei stomp by, though, growling something about 'another meaning in the Greek' before HIS door slammed shut.  
  
I walked over to my window and stared outside for a few moments, not seeing anything, my hand trembling slightly. Wondering how on earth I was going to convince Wufei to escape with me from this place ... because if what I thought was correct, we really didn't have much time at all ... 


	9. Chapter 8

Tapestry - Chapter 8  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I had restless dreams.  
  
In one, I was back on the shuttle when it crashed. Klaxons shrieked throughout the ship, emergency lights flashed, and the faint stench of acrid smoke wafted onto the bridge. The slightest movement on my part brought instant agony, but a relentless, driving need to know what happened to my people pushed me to painfully turn my head.  
  
I came face to face with the dead and dying.   
  
Above me was my second in command, sprawled across the navigator's console, his head cocked at an unnatural angle, not moving. Blood dripped down his arm and slowly dribbled to the floor. A large pool of it was under his chest, next to some horrendous electrical burns. Shifting my gaze to the side, I recognized the Trunda twins – engineering geniuses both – huddled in a fatal last embrace, crushed under a cabinet, their twined hands with their distinctive signet rings the only identifying feature. And finally, moving my eyes to assess my own damage, I looked down at my legs and saw shredded clothing soaked in blood, and bone, and boots that were a gruesome, mangled mess. The pain in my head was tremendous, and it hurt to breathe.   
  
Damn.   
  
A sensation of lassitude started to blunt the pain; euphoria slowly seeped into my bones. Concussion and shock, I decided, clinically analyzing my symptoms – I've lost a lot of blood. Probably too much … which meant...  
  
Heavy steps pounded into the command room, shaking the floor, jarring me mercilessly. Shouts and orders rang out, competing with the klaxons for attention. Boots that looked polished and lustrous and had that slight smell of disinfectant clinging about them clomped into my line of sight, stopping just half a meter away from my face. Squinting against a suddenly bright light, my gaze traveled up from the heels of the boots to where dark green pants were tucked into their tops. Who those boots belonged to, though, was anyone's guess; but from all the clues, I figured I knew who they were.  
  
They were soldiers from OZ, come to count the bodies.  
  
And Une must be here, too, I realized. Let us die in peace, you bitch. Go gloat somewhere else. Give us our last vestige of dignity.  
  
"Here – corpsman, over here!" her familiar voice snapped imperiously. "Start procedures on this one right away. Treize-sama commanded that everyone be saved, but that the officers were to take precedence – and Po looks pretty bad."  
  
You don't know the half of it, you idiot...I'm wrapped in a haze of endorphins. I'm dying.   
  
And then Une was there, towering over me, eyeing my bloodied legs dispassionately. "If it were up to me, Po, I'd kill you right now. You are trash – nothing but rebel scum who deserves no less. However, Treize-sama ordered that everyone be taken alive and evacuated to the closest medical facility. 'Pay special attention to the officers,' he said – and I can do no less."  
  
Une stared down into my eyes, her internal conflict with what she knew she should do and what her precious Treize-sama ordered her to do written plainly across her face. And seeing that, I had a sudden, uncontrollable urge to giggle hysterically. It didn't come out that way, I know - it probably sounded more like a wet, raspy breath - but it really didn't matter, because any indecision was wiped clean as if by magic from Une's eyes. She scowled, leaned down and put her ear next to my lips, close enough that if I had the strength I could have bitten her earlobe off; as it was, I had to summon the strength from every reserve I had just to whisper three defiant words into her ear.   
  
"Won't ... get ... me," I breathed, closing my eyes with a satisfied smile.   
  
A slight gasp, followed by an angry, "Hurry, man – hurry! If she dies, so will you –" followed me as my world faded to black.  
  
Warm darkness enveloped me with welcoming arms as I slipped down and away, moving quickly into unconsciousness, now completely unaware of the surrounding turmoil. Heh. Too bad, Une … death cheated you again...  
  
Just as suddenly as the darkness claimed me, it gave me up to the light, thrusting me toward consciousness again. Other new, strange sensations came with a feeling of not-quite drowning in the dark.  
  
I realized I was running – running hard, and running fast, and running as if my life depended upon it, legs kicking through waist high grass, breath catching painfully in my lungs, sprinting towards – something. Something that I couldn't see, but something that was just at the edge of the meadow, at the edge of my vision, right where the forests' barrier of russet and gold leaves met the meadow's tawny wall of grass.   
  
I had no time, though, to admire the beauty of fall, because my world had shrunk to the size of the path under my feet. That path was faintly delineated on the ground; it had diverged from another, more heavily traveled track. It wasn't clear, though, that ANY marked route actually led to Sanctuary - or what I thought was Sanctuary, the place I wanted to go, the place at the edge of the meadow.  
  
It didn't matter how I got there, just that I did. I had to protect the child I was holding; I had to deliver my charge into safe hands.  
  
Sanctuary was at the horizon, I could see it - and once I reached it, I knew I'd be able to put the child down in safety, the child I held so tightly in my arms. Looking down at the baby for a moment, I glimpsed solemn, dark Asian eyes under wispy black hair looking back at me, one small fist waving gently outside the swaddling clothes, a vague image of translucent black and red colors swirling around his fist. I shifted his weight, snuggling him against my chest, next to my pounding heart, and dug deep to find other stores of energy to help my burning muscles work even harder.   
  
I was not just running because I enjoyed it. There was something chasing me - or rather, someone - ancient and deadly, huge, winged, someone who wanted the child as fiercely as I wanted to protect him. He reached out with lazy grace, warm strong fingers ready to tear the child away, fingers that were merciless in their assault on my person and dignity, my mind and body, fingers that poked and pried and pressed their way into parts of my body and soul that I never knew existed.  
  
They reached out to grab and trip and rend and sunder and eventually to force me to stumble and fall and give up the child to him …  
  
NO!  
  
Screaming, I fell to the ground as those fingers forced their way first into my mind and then into soul. As I fell, I flung the boy as far away from me as I could, hoping against hope that someone else was watching, and that they had seen me fall and would find the boy and would take him in and shelter him and protect him before –  
  
- pain - gods, such tearing, horrible pain - starbursts flashed in front of my eyes. Then I was gasping for air, spiraling down and down, farther and farther -   
  
.....until my eyes snapped open and I sat straight up in bed, panting.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I opened my eyes to sunlight streaming across the bed and splashing down the sides of the walls, an incomplete master painting. Part of my brain acknowledged the cleverness of the architect who constructed bedrooms where sunlight could pour through windows like honey but never touch the face of the person in the bed. The other part - the part that was interested in my survival - kept my body upright and rigid as I continued to pant, slowly coming out of that dream stupor as I registered where I was.  
  
Alive, not dead. In Luxembourg, not somewhere else. And under house arrest - the prisoner of Treize Khushrenada, being held with Chang Wufei. Plus, this was Tuesday, the second day of my imprisonment. At least the second day I remembered.  
  
I could hear birds chirping. Not like yesterday, though - not as loud, and certainly not as insistent, but right there, outside the windows. It sounded lovely. Calming. Peaceful.   
  
Good. I needed calm and peaceful right now.  
  
My heart rate was returning to normal. I wasn't one for dream analysis; in fact, I felt my dreams were usually extensions of my day-to-day problems. Not much thought required for the first one; that was a no-brainer. That probably did happen, and I simply didn't remember it. I shook my head and sighed.  
  
But the second one .. well, that one was just plain weird. I'd have to think about that one later. Sighing, I turned my head - and reality hit me in the face again when I looked around the room and realized that someone had been there while I slept.  
  
There were clothes laid out on the dresser.  
  
I shoved back the covers, swung my feet down to the floor - yow, how cold! - and walked over to inspect what had been left for me, glad that I had slept in the outfit I wore to dinner last night. Meaning that I had NOT opted to sleep in this gi ... well. Not thinking about that right now, thanks.  
  
There were two complete sets of clothing on the dresser. The first was a lovely, faded piece that looked like a relaxed gi, in an off-white; and the other was a neatly folded, medium blue sweater on top of a pair of dark khakis. Neither outfit was terribly fancy; everything was nicely tailored and well made. Plus, there were undergarments lying next to the gi - one bra and one pair of panties - along with one pair of socks and one pair of wool lined ankle high slippers.  
  
And everything was exactly the right size. Everything.  
  
Was I uncomfortable with that? Oh, hell, yes. Considering that all the shirts I owned were usually a size larger than my pants, I was definitely uncomfortable with that. That meant that someone else had noticed, too - especially since the bra was exactly the right size. I spent about three minutes feeling that my personal space, which included my body, had been seriously invaded, until I came to terms with several fundamental truths.  
  
One: I was a prisoner. No matter what my cage looked like, it was still a cage. That meant, essentially, I had no rights; no matter that I might think I had rights, I really had none. Not unless my jailor chose to grant me some rights, meaning that if Khushrenada wanted me to wear the same clothes for the next three weeks in a row, well, that's what I would be doing. I couldn't see that happening - as fastidious as the general was, he'd probably weigh in on the 'take TWO showers every day' side of the equation - but in either case, it wouldn't be my choice to make.  
  
Which brought me to point two: I had no control over what was happening here, no more than I could control the rising and setting of the sun. However, I could control my reactions to what I saw happening around me, and given time, could probably influence some of those actions. And the first thing I was going to work on was Wufei - there was no way that I would make my escape from this place and leave him here.  
  
And that, naturally, brought me to point number three: my obligation to escape. Every prisoner had an obligation to escape or to at least try to escape, or, barring that, get information out to their comrades that they thought would be useful to them. At this point, I was willing to try almost anything; I needed a plan, but I didn't have a plan. I had been aware of my captivity less than twenty-four hours, and had not found a suitable escape route yet. This didn't bode well for the future - because, frankly, the longer I was imprisoned, the smaller my chances for escape became.   
  
Sighing, I reached for the sweater and pants set, grabbing the undergarments, socks and slippers as well. The air in the room was a little chilly; changing, then was a very fast affair. I looked at myself in the vanity mirror, and I was right - everything fit perfectly. Not only that, but the color of the sweater matched my eyes and perfectly complemented my hair.  
  
I was getting tired of using the word 'perfect.' It really was annoying that everything was perfect.  
  
Pulling the slippers over my socks, my attention turned to the large windows at the back of the room. I walked over and looked out, hoping that inspiration would hit me. I had assumed that this room was on the ground floor; that may have been true to some extent, but not on this side of the house. Here, there was still quite a drop to get to ground level and the thorny rosebushes; however, there was something outside that I had not seen from my other room.   
  
A thin white fence enclosed a substantial amount of property in front of my room, a lovely paddock. And suddenly, that fence represented NOT a boundary, NOT restriction, but freedom - because paddocks meant horses, and horses meant transportation into the woods, away from the roads and the usual beaten tracks.  
  
Ah, yes. Now this was much more interesting.  
  
I moved closer to the window, my breath warm on the frosty glass. There were several horses moving around in the paddock. My eye was drawn to a large roan stallion, his tail flung out like a flag behind him, cantering gracefully across the meadow. He snorted and shook his head from side to side as he slowed his pace to a trot, nosing his way into a small knot of horses on the other side of the pasture. Interestingly enough, the other horses gave way to him without any protest.   
  
Excellent. That was the horse for me. A plan was starting to form in my mind.   
  
There was a barn at the far left side of the paddock, as well, just in my line of vision, and some people were moving about over there. Squinting, I turned my head in that direction and counted three different people walking around. I couldn't see their faces, though - all of them were bundled against the autumn chill, with hats and scarves and the like protecting them. One was pouring something into the horse troughs near the barn, moving like he knew what he was doing; a second was carrying a saddle into the barn, pushing a door to what I assumed was the tack room open with his shoulder; and the third had walked into the barn several moments ago, and I had yet to see him emerge.  
  
Three people at the barn. That wasn't too bad - they would hardly be expecting someone attacking them from the main house, and none of them appeared to be soldiers. Plus, I really wouldn't be attacking them as much as I would be simply borrowing some of their equipment.   
  
But there was a problem, and I was looking right at it. Scowling, I stared at the slippers on my feet - yes, they were nice, and yes, they were warm - but really, there was NO way they were going to stand up to walking from even the house to the barn. Walking around the house would be fine; but not walking outside the house. However - if I could find the kitchen, there may be a mud room attached to it - and there could be boots in the mud room ...  
  
I decided, and put my thoughts to action. I scooped up the key to the room from the dresser, walked over to the bedroom door and let myself out, turning to close the door softly behind me. When I turned my head to look down the corridor, my mouth dropped open. I was dumbfounded.  
  
The hallway was awash in sunlight. Every single door was wide open, including Wufei's bedroom door.  
  
It took me completely by surprise. Khushrenada had actually done it - he kept his word. Every doorway in this corridor was open. Now, if that was true, I could probably search throughout the house and find that every doorway not leading to a classified location was flung open, with orders to stay that way.  
  
Gods. That was definitely unnerving.   
  
Well, since I was in the hallway, and Wufei's door was open, I looked inside - and he wasn't there. In fact, he wasn't anywhere in his room. The covers on his bed were still rumpled, and there was a red silk outfit laid out on the bed.   
  
Oh, sure, I'll just bet he's going to wear that one. 'Girl colors,' indeed.  
  
A definite moving and scraping sound took my attention away from Wufei's room and centered it down the hallway, in the direction of the training rooms. I turned - someone's training this morning? and trotted off in that direction, curious.   
  
Wufei could be there, working out now, training before breakfast. Maybe I'd be able to catch him before Treize did; at least talk to him a little, see what it was that he was planning on doing that day. Talk to him about what I saw in his room last night, if I could.  
  
Now the sounds echoing through the hallways were unmistakable; a shuffling sound, an odd, grunting sound, along with the sounds of feet moving and flesh smacking into flesh. The one sound I didn't expect to hear, however, was the raspy, scraping sound of metal against metal, something that set my nerves on edge.  
  
"HA!"  
  
That, too, was something unexpected - one short shout in Wufei's voice, followed by several guttural grunts in a deeper, more masculine voice.   
  
Well .. so much for speaking to Wufei before Treize had the opportunity.  
  
I padded over to the doors of the exercise room, trying to be as noiseless as possible. It was exactly as I expected - completely modern, not ostentatious, but with every conceivable convenience anyone ever thought should BE in a training room. The walls were padded; there were observation areas, weapons cabinets, training equipment - everything. There were several levels, but Treize and Wufei were on the main floor of the gym.   
  
I expected to see Wufei and Treize fighting each other - nothing more, nothing less. What I DID see, though, through the frosted panes of the gymnasium doors, shocked me completely. They were certainly fighting, but I wasn't prepared for the intensity of their combat. Even though Wufei told me he attempted to kill Treize every day, actually seeing the ferocity of their clashes drove the point home. This, at least on Wufei's part, was a duel to the death.  
  
Both combatants were in loose clothing, Wufei in a black gi, Treize in a white gi. The look on Wufei's face was absolutely feral; his teeth were bared, his eyes were wide and dark, and the expression on his face was savage and fierce. It was obvious that Wufei's sole intent and purpose was to kill the man in front of him. Treize was wearing an expression similar to Wufei's, with one significant difference; Treize was actually smiling. As hard as it was for me to believe, his appearance, if anything, was more ferocious than Wufei's. He was much taller, but Wufei was more agile - and while Treize was larger and also quite a bit stronger, Wufei made up for that in drive and intensity. Treize, though, had an air about him that made my skin crawl - there was something about him that was predatory and possessive. There was something about his eyes that made them extremely difficult to look at without getting drawn into them. Normally, his half-lidded gaze was seductive, provocative; but with them wide open like this - gods, they were terrifying.  
  
I stood right at the threshhold to the training room, clutching the doorway with my right hand, caught up in the fight, feeling Wufei's emotions, his anger and desperation - and not able to do anything about it. They were moving so fast it was hard for my eye to follow them.  
  
Treize's gaze flicked in my direction just once; Wufei, however, looked over at me and started to say my name.  
  
"Sall-"  
  
He was rudely cut off. Treize took the advantage and slammed into him immediately. Wufei dropped to the ground like a stone with Treize on top of him; the general pinned him to the ground and trapped Wufei's hands underneath his own, his fighting knives turned in at a useless angle.   
  
Wufei struggled once, then closed his eyes in anguished acknowledgement. "You have won. The victory goes to you."  
  
"Saa ... nonsense, Wufei," Treize replied, moving off Wufei and sliding lightly to his feet, pulling Wufei up with him. "You were distracted. It is a draw." He bent to retrieve the knives from the floor, his gi flapping loosely, showing glimpses of a finely sculpted chest.  
  
Wufei stared at him, anger and what appeared to be consternation mixed in his expression. "It is NOT a draw-"  
  
"Ah, good morning, Ms. Po - so good to see you up!"  
  
"....Treize!" Wufei exclaimed, extremely annoyed.  
  
The only thing I could do was stare at both of them. Neither one seemed particularly out of breath; neither one was marked at all; and Wufei, at least, was not only annoyed, but seemed just on the verge of having a full blown temper tantrum as he stalked after the general, nearly apoplectic.  
  
"It was NOT a draw, Treize!"  
  
"It was, Wufei," he said, his voice cool and even. "The odds were not in your favor." Treize turned to me, calm and collected, and asked, "Have you breakfasted yet, Ms. Po? It IS a lovely morning, ne?"  
  
I kept staring at him, not quite believing that he could so thoroughly trounce Wufei and then speak to me as if nothing had happened. "I .. no .. I haven't eaten yet," I said, giving him an odd look as I walked over to Wufei's side.  
  
Wufei, for his part, was seething and staring daggers at Treize. It didn't do much good, but I'm sure it made him feel much better.  
  
Treize was locking the weapons case as I reached Wufei. "I'm sorry I interrupted you," I told Wufei gently, looking at him. "I distracted you from your fight."  
  
Snorting, Wufei crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at Treize, not even looking at me. "Not your fault," he snapped. Had I not known Wufei, I might have felt slighted at that remark; but I knew him well enough to understand that his full attention was on Treize, not on me.   
  
"Did you sleep well, Sally?" Treize asked, looking past Wufei to me, his smile warm and intimate. "You do look better. Your color has improved."  
  
"Ah ... yes. Yes, I slept well, thank you," I replied, now feeling even stranger that he spoke to me instead to speaking to Wufei first. Was he trying to make Wufei angry? A gnawing resentment at his apparent lack of consideration for Wufei's feelings grew in my chest and shortened my breath.   
  
"Ah, that's wonderful! Dr. White will be by to see you in ... oh, I'd say, about two hours, give or take 15 minutes. You are up earlier than we'd predicted, which simply shows how strong your constitution was before you were injured. Rest and relaxation, in your case, seem to have been exactly what the doctor ordered."   
  
I stared at him again, trying desperately to calm down and think of something to say - me, who was usually so glib, with something sarcastic right at the tip of my tongue.  
  
And there was ... nothing. There was absolutely nothing in my brain at that moment. I felt like an angry idiot, wanting to tell him off but not willing to accept the consequences. Taking a deep breath, I murmured a vague "Mmm hmm," to the general - which was the best I could do given the circumstances, and much better than the 'don't treat him like that, you jerk' phrase I wanted to say - and then turned to Wufei. "You know, you were doing well before I distracted you. You have improved quite a bit in a very short time."  
  
Wufei's eyes were closed and his head was down; had he been a plant, he would have been physically drooping, his leaves curled in. He didn't answer me; he was the very picture of defeat.  
  
"Wufei," Treize said gently. "Be polite."  
  
"Thank you," Wufei muttered, scowling down at the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Po. He usually isn't this sullen." Tilting his head to the side, Treize asked, "Would you like a rematch, Wufei?"  
  
"No!" he snapped immediately. Glaring, he spun around on his heel and stormed toward the main doors of the gymnasium.  
  
Treize did not raise his voice, but it felt like an extra layer of steel had been added to it. "Wufei."  
  
As if someone had snapped the rubber band on a toy that had wandered too far, Wufei stopped, turned, and slowly walked back to where Treize and I stood, his shoulders hunched, his face set and stony. I was completely shocked that he had even turned around; Treize, for his part, was silent as Wufei walked back to us, apparently expecting Wufei to do something else.  
  
Clenching his jaw and gritting his teeth, Wufei came to a stop a meter in front of Treize and ground out, "May. I. Be. Excused."   
  
"Yes, Wufei, you may. Breakfast will be in thirty minutes."  
  
"Right." Tense and angry, Wufei whirled away again and stalked out of the training room. Had he been able to do so, he would have slammed the door. I couldn't believe it. That little demonstration could not have been for my benefit, I was sure, but ... still. What the hell was going on? I stared after Wufei, dumbfounded, my resentment toward Treize all but erased.  
  
"Shall we go, Ms. Po?"  
  
I started, and found myself staring up at Treize again. This time, though, my mind started screaming at me right away that he was MUCH too close, especially since he was a little sweaty from that exertion and I could feel my body start to actually move toward his a bit of its own accord, and -  
  
"Yes, yes, that's fine," I stammered, backing away slightly, my mouth dry. He smiled pleasantly, nodded to me and said, "I will see you at breakfast, then, Ms. Po. Thirty minutes, in the dining room."  
  
I nodded, turned and followed Wufei's trail out of the room, extremely glad to get out of there.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A distinct sense of unreality surged through me as I hurried through the long hallway, leaving the training room behind me. Wufei was nowhere in sight - I could only assume that he was in his room, getting ready for breakfast. Sunlight streamed through the open doorways and pooled on the floor, bright light intensifying the bronze and reds and blues of the tapestry rug. A perfect fall day. I hardly noticed.   
  
I found myself at the double doors of the library, not quite sure how I got there and with at least twenty minutes before I had to appear for breakfast. There was no doubt in my mind, either, that my presence was required, not simply requested; I was specifically told when and where to appear, just as Wufei had been.  
  
Now I allowed myself to feel annoyed. Good thing the general didn't tell me what to wear, the way he tried to tell Wufei what to wear. He'd be in for a very real shock when I refused, hmm?  
  
Not at all, said that caustic little voice in my head. He gave you the clothes you're wearing right now. In fact, he gave you a choice of what to wear. The only thing you couldn't choose was your underwear.  
  
Oh, gods. Just shut up and go away, would you please?  
  
Taking the opportunity to calm my breathing to a manageable rate, I slowly walked into the room and stood in front of the bookshelves next to the large oak doors. The faint aroma of roses stole across the room; looking toward the opposite wall, I saw fresh cut roses in a clear vase on the small reading table near the center of the room. A very elegant touch.  
  
In some way, this room felt familiar. Safe. A place of refuge, where I could quietly pull myself together and think, and as my gaze roamed across the spines of hundreds of books shelved there, I finally realized why. One of my favorite pastimes - reading - was contained right here, with everything I could possibly want. There were so many books that it would probably take me years to read them all. Just the thought made me smile. I walked to the overstuffed chair next to the table, sank down, closed my eyes and sat there, the scent of roses and leather mingling together. There was something very comforting about that, as well.  
  
Soft footsteps brought me out of my reverie. I turned my head and saw Wufei walk through the double doors of the library, his head bowed and gaze fixed on the floor in front of him. He did look calmer - much more subdued than he had been on the training room floor. And he was wearing white, not the red outfit that had been laid out on his bed.  
  
Good. Somehow, his small act of defiance made me feel a little better.   
  
"I'm sorry," he said, his voice soft.  
  
"Wufei," I replied, my tone bleak. "Please. Don't apologize. You were angry. You had every right to be angry."  
  
"No, Treize thought I should apologize to you. He was right." Wufei's gaze was still locked on a spot on the floor in front of him.  
  
I shook my head. "Please don't, Wufei. There is no need to apologize. You did nothing to me."  
  
He snorted softly, meeting my gaze for the first time. "I was rude to you. I can be angry, but it is not right to lose control. And .... you didn't ... deserve it. So - I'm sorry. I said it."  
  
Hm. I sat up in the chair and looked at him. He had finished in a 'there, now I've said what I was told to say, now you say what YOU need to say' type of voice. "Well ... in that case, Wufei ... I accept your apology. And by the way - you do look quite comfortable in that."  
  
Puzzled, he looked at me, finally working out that I meant his clothes. "...but ... why shouldn't I be?"  
  
"Ah, well, that's true, isn't it?" I asked, smiling at him. "There really is no reason for you to be uncomfortable." Gesturing at the bookshelves, I asked, "Have you been able to take advantage of this yet?"  
  
Had I not seen the change myself, I would not have believed it. Wufei's expression instantly transformed from a sullen, fixed look to one of eagerness. His eyes sparkled, the bitter lines between his eyebrows vanished, and his entire face appeared ... younger, more alive than I'd ever seen it. And it struck me at that moment that Wufei, with his exotic caramel skin and oriental features, standing in the middle of the room, his lithe figure still, completely unselfconscious, obviously in awe of the treasure trove in front of him ... was beautiful. He was a beautiful, rare young man, someone that anyone would want to -  
  
Gods. My mouth felt dry as dust. That was not where I wanted my thoughts to go at all.  
  
"I love to read myself. I was wondering what types of books are here," I continued, watching him in stupefied amazement. "It's been a long time since I've bee in a position where I've had - well - any free time ..."  
  
"They're ... wonderful," he breathed, looking up at the highest shelves, his eyes shining. "I've never seen so many books in my life!" He took a moment to stare at them, sunlight falling on him naturally, his spotless white shirt gleaming. "I'm going to get through them all. After I kill him, I don't know when I'll have such a chance again."  
  
I blinked. Wufei said 'after I kill him' in much the same manner as he would say 'after I eat breakfast.' I was no stranger to death; the people under my command put their lives on the line every single day, and we planned sorties and raids frequently, targeting specific military personnel. This, however, was different. I couldn't put my finger on it yet, but I knew it was.  
  
"Um ... yes," I replied carefully, feeling a little cold inside. "That's going to take quite a while, Wufei." I turned my head slowly, looking at the shelves of books covering every inch of wallspace in the room. "There are so ... many ... here ..." And then I realized that Treize was standing in the alcove doorway, listening to our conversation, a pleased expression on his face.  
  
"Yes." A slow sigh slipped through Wufei's lips as he considered the books one last time. His expression gradually became more shuttered and closed, until it finally shifted back into its habitual, sullen lines, his brilliant smile submerged beneath a glowering frown. Back to normal.  
  
"So. I apologized. I'm going to breakfast. You can come in a few minutes - I'm setting the table."  
  
I looked up at him. "You did apologize, Wufei, and as I said before, I do accept it. Thank you."  
  
He nodded and turned to leave; only then did he notice Treize standing in the doorway, watching him. The general nodded at him, a slight smile pulling at his lips. Glaring, Wufei gave him a curt nod and stomped out of the library toward the dining room, a thinly veiled snort following him.  
  
"Did you want a rose, Ms. Po? I think it would look splendid in your hair."  
  
Treize looked beautifully lethal as he crossed the room, smiling, his gaze fastened on me. He strode right to the reading table and cupped one of the blossoms in his hand, the stem between his fingers, ready to collect that single bloom, waiting for my reply.  
  
"Ah ... no, no thank you, General. I'd much prefer to see them together than to pluck a single one from the bunch."  
  
"As you wish, Ms. Po." He withdrew his hand from the flower; I imagined its petals trembled in relief as it was returned to the vase. "They are lovely together, as you say." Turning toward the bookcases along the back wall, he tilted his head and walked over, running his long fingers over the spines of the books, inspecting them. "Would you like something to read instead? If I seem to be pouring on the hospitality, I am. I don't want you to be bored in my house." He stopped and looked back at me. "This doesn't have to be unpleasant," he added gently.  
  
I looked up at him and sighed. He may not have known it, but he found at least one weakness of mine. "Yes ... in fact, I would like something to read."  
  
"What is to your taste? I have ... a little bit of everything here. I'm never one to stay too long with one topic," he added, giving me a sideways glance, kneeling in front of the bookcase, "unless it TRULY fascinates me."  
  
"Ah. Well, I enjoy most everything. Would you recommend something?"  
  
"Mmmm..." He seemed to consider, his fingers hesitating over the backs of two different volumes, and gave me another amused, sidelong look. "Perhaps a murder mystery might be right up your alley." Pulling one slender book from the shelf, he straightened, walked over and handed me the book. "Inspiration?" he murmured, a wry smile tugging at his lips.  
  
I couldn't suppress an answering grin. "Oh, why ... thank you."  
  
"Of course, if you'd prefer something medical and dry, I can produce that, too ..."  
  
He knew what he was doing, it was obvious; it was in his eyes, the way he looked at me, in his entire manner. Well, I could play, too - but I wasn't kidding.  
  
"Oh, well," I said pleasantly, "the last time I was in school, I was studying pharmacology ... but that was a few years ago."  
  
"Sou, dana. Better not let you near the kitchen then, hm?" He winked at me. "Perhaps a newspaper, then? You strike me, Ms. Po, as a woman who likes to know what is happening now."  
  
I laughed. "That would be fine, General." The book was leather bound, smooth to the touch, and had a wonderfully soft feel to it as I looked at it and turned it over in my hands. "So ... you've read this? How does it end?"  
  
"Dramatically," Treize said, smiling down. "Fu Manchu escapes, but his plan is defeated by the intrepid men set against him. It is a marvelous old book."  
  
"Ah. Then the arch villain will have yet another chance, I fear."  
  
"He does ... until the last book in the series." He looked back at the bookshelves, away from me; and his voice softened as he said, "But he ... he has had quite the time until then - ne? Lived his life to the fullest."  
  
"I'm sure of it," I replied, curious at the change in his demeanor. Speaking with him was like speaking with five other people; everything he said had multiple meanings, and this was no exception. Who is he talking about? "I'm assuming this is not the last book in the series, though..."   
  
"You are absolutely correct, Ms. Po - this is not the last book. In many ways, though, the last book is ... very sad."  
  
"Not for the heroes, I'm sure," I said, hardly able to keep the dry sarcasm out of my tone. "They always seem to be satisfied in the end."  
  
"Yes, for the heroes. You see, Ms. Po ... in the course of fighting, the heroes themselves have grown old. It is the end of their lives as much as it is anyone else's. The entire book is touched with just a hint of that sense. That things end. Hence, the victory is tainted. Not to mention -" He paused and stared right at me, his blue eyes intense, "- once one succeeds in one's goal - unless one has another, Ms. Po, then life becomes very sad indeed. There is nothing left."  
  
"Ah. Well. Possibly, that's true." I looked up at him, raising one eyebrow delicately. "But the heroes will have their memories. The villain, I assume, is simply dead."  
  
I smiled. Point for me.  
  
"...but as I was saying to Wufei - I can't recall the last time I've had so much - time - to actually read. And it is something I enjoy very much."  
  
"You will have that time here," Treize said, his voice warm. "There are things for you to do; and once the doctor proclaims you well enough, I can provide you with many other things, which I will. Circumstances aside, Ms. Po ... you ARE my guest."  
  
"Well," I started, a little guarded, "I do enjoy outdoor sports ... fishing and the like - although hunting is not to my taste. Only for food, not for sport."  
  
"I rather enjoy the hunt myself," Treize said, "although I suspect that may be mostly a gender difference."  
  
Feh. I'll just bet you enjoy hunting.  
  
"There are horses," he continued, "as you have undoubtedly noticed. Marvelous animals. It's taken me years to breed them to this particular shade of beauty."  
  
"Yes, I did see them." I nodded at him, smiling. "Lovely confirmation. Beautiful creatures."  
  
"Of course," Treize said. Smiling, he offered his arm to me. "Shall we go to breakfast?"  
  
"Ah ... yes, thank you." I rose out of my chair and took his arm with a little smile. He patted my hand and drew me out of the library and into the dining room, his hand still over mine. The muscles in his arm were firm and tight; his forearm looked deceptively slim, but my fingers hardly stretched across it.   
  
It dawned on me that killing him probably wasn't going to be an easy task at all.   
  
Treize led me into the dining room; and the first thing I saw was Wufei, frowning mightily at the table.  
  
"Almost perfect, Wufei. You've quite improved," Treize said with a smile.  
  
"What did I miss?" Wufei was frowning in concentration, staring at the table.  
  
I stiffened slightly. "You know, General, the table appears quite lovely ..."   
  
Giving my hand a little pat, Treize dropped my arm, leaned over the table and switched two forks. "Oh, of course it does. This is simply a little assignment Wufei gave himself."  
  
"... oh. I still can't tell the difference between these two ..." I watched Wufei busily switch the forks at each place setting.  
  
Considering the weirdness of this morning, this was yet another piece of the bizarre. I swallowed and murmured to Wufei, "The china is beautiful, as is the silver ..."  
  
"Un. I didn't pick it," Wufei muttered, crossing his arms, glaring critically at the table. "NOW is it right?"  
  
Treize looked at the table, hesitating.  
  
"Treize!" Wufei snapped, irritated.  
  
"The teacup, Wufei, is too centered. More to the left."  
  
I was staring. I knew it. I also knew that the last thing I ever expected to see was Chang Wufei, a gundam pilot who dueled Treize Khushrenada every day for the express purpose of killing him, taking direction from that very man on how to properly set a formal dining table.  
  
"I did not assign this for him, Ms. Po," Treize said softly in my ear, as if he knew my thoughts. "He wished to learn it. He has not told me why."  
  
"....oh. I see," I responded, my voice scarcely above a whisper as I watched Wufei mutter and fix the place settings once again.  
  
"Well?" he snapped, peevish.  
  
Treize smiled at him. "Perfect."  
  
Grunting, Wufei nodded and plopped into his chair, apparently satisfied.  
  
Treize pulled out a chair for me - the same one I chose the previous evening - and waited until I settled myself in it before seating himself at the head of the table. I glanced over at Wufei, and then down at the table; in fact, there was no discernable difference in the positioning of any of the plates or cutlery that I could see, and Wufei was back to being sulky again.   
  
Absolutely ... positively ... bizarre. I peered at Wufei again. What was going on? He wasn't acting like a prisoner ... he wasn't being treated as a prisoner. It just didn't make sense.  
  
"Eggs, Ms. Po?"  
  
I turned and looked at Treize, who was serving from a silver tray. "And please, DO call me Treize. I prefer it. I even ask my subordinates to do so, and you are hardly that."  
  
"Ah ... very well ... Treize." Using his first name was a very strange taste on my tongue. Somehow, it was ... more intimate. And really, I didn't like that - it was an odd sensation, one I couldn't identify and one with which I certainly didn't want to become familiar. I smiled wanly at him as I watched him scoop scrambled eggs, perfectly prepared, from the serving dish to my platter.  
  
"Thank you," he said, smiling, as he handed me my plate.  
  
Oh, good. Reward me with food. Suddenly, the eggs didn't seem to be as appetizing as they were a few moments ago; I took a few sliced tomatoes and moved them around on my plate, hoping that might make a difference.  
  
It didn't.  
  
"Wufei. You need protein."  
  
I watched, amazed again, as Wufei sulkily reached for the cottage cheese and served himself. The glare he threw in Treize's direction would have killed a lesser man; but he did start eating, which was more than I could say for myself.  
  
"I have a meeting this morning," Treize said to the table at large, raising one eyebrow and pointedly ignoring Wufei's behavior.  
  
"Ah," Wufei said, throwing a sharp look in his direction.  
  
"I'm not sure what time I will be returning," the general continued, "but you may have to introduce Dr. White, Wufei."  
  
"Hai."  
  
Treize glanced at Wufei, then without warning his gaze fell on me. "Ms. Po. I can trust you with his welfare, ne?"  
  
I blinked at him, frowning slightly. What kind of weirdness was this? "Well .. yes, of course, Gene- .. ah, Treize."  
  
"Don't let him overtrain," he said, eyeing Wufei, his attitude calm and collected.  
  
In response, Wufei slammed his fork down and glared at Treize.  
  
"Wufei," Treize said gently. "I know how you react when you lose poorly." Turning to me again, he said, "Stop him if he starts to overdo it."  
  
A strangled, guttural sound was cut off as Wufei struggled to control himself, his face red with effort.  
  
"Ah ... of course, Treize," I said faintly. No. Wait. I needed some time to wrap my mind around this concept. My jailor was leaving - and he was putting me in charge of ... another inmate? Just walking around the house ... free? Part of my mind wondered if he was going to leave me the keys to his car, as well.  
  
Well, a map of the area would be nice, too. Plus a full tank of gas.  
  
He stood in one fluid motion, the palms of his hands flat on the table, and looked at me with twinkling blue eyes. "Thank you, Ms. Po," he murmured gravely. "I must be going. The doctor will be here soon." Straightening, he put one hand into his coat pocket, dipped his head in acknowledgement and smiled. "I will see you both later," he said, with an extra nod to Wufei.   
  
"Have a good day," I said, smiling insincerely, wishing he would simply vanish so I could speak with Wufei alone that much sooner.  
  
But he wasn't going anywhere until Wufei acknowledged him, which he finally did, giving a grudging nod of his head.   
  
"Thank you, Ms. Po, I hope to," Treize replied. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and flashed a set of keys in front of me with a very big smile - and good grief, I recognized those keys, there were only twelve machines like that built in the entire world-  
  
"-adieu," he said, looking straight into my eyes again before leaving the room. I could swear he was laughing even though I didn't hear a sound. 


	10. Chapter 9

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
Tapestry - Chapter 9  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I sat at the table and watched Treize walk out of the room, hoping that I understood him correctly.   
  
He was leaving me alone - alone - in his home, while he went off to God-knows-where to do God-knows-what ... and he was leaving me in charge of Wufei, of all things. Telling me to 'make sure that he doesn't overtrain.'  
  
Make sure he doesn't overtrain? Heh - not a problem at all. There was no way he would overtrain while I was with him, because I was going to take Wufei and leave this lovely little prison just as soon as I could. In fact, if I could convince him, we'd be gone before Treize returned from wherever he went.  
  
Once we were out of the house, we'd be moving through the countryside very quickly. Overtraining wouldn't be the issue. Finding shelter from OZ would be more to the point.  
  
And damn, before we left, I was going to find some comfortable shoes.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Are we truly alone, Wufei?"  
  
Actually, I didn't believe it. I was sure it was some trick on Treize's part; but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why. Spying on us? That would be a little extreme, even for him.   
  
Heh. It wasn't as if we were going anywhere. At least not yet.  
  
"Hai. Mrs. Grimm and Walter are around, and a few of the horse trainers - but they leave us alone." He considered for a moment, looking at his plate. "Unless we want or need something. Then they'll help us."  
  
"I see." I nodded at him, smiling, encouraging. The poor boy needed to be gently prodded into talking, and no wonder - whom did he have to talk to, except for Treize and the people working for him? I needed to draw Wufei out slowly - I didn't want to spook him. "You said something last night about Heero Yuy being allowed to escape, Wufei. The last thing I saw Heero do was blow himself and his gundam up, over six weeks ago. I had no idea he survived that blast, let alone healed to the point where he was fighting again, and then was captured by OZ -"  
  
Wufei was silent for a moment; then he nodded to himself, appearing to come to a decision. "I'm going to go train," he finally said, scowling, pushing his chair back from the table and standing in one graceful motion. "You might as well come with me and watch. Ask me whatever you like in the training room - I'll tell YOU anything." With that, he whirled and stalked away from the table, through the dining room and past the double doors toward the training room.  
  
Speechless with surprise, I rose out of my chair and followed him as quickly as I could. "Thank you, Wufei," I belatedly called after him when I noticed the way he emphasized his words, as if to say, '..I'll tell YOU, but not Treize.'   
  
His answering grunt floated back to me as he marched down the hallway.  
  
It took a little while, but I caught up with him at the doorway to the training room. Questions were swirling around in my mind, questions about Heero and Duo and exactly how we were going to leave. The other gundam pilots had escaped, I reasoned; we should be able to do the same thing. I simply needed to know a little bit more about the surrounding area, and I needed to get Wufei to agree to leave. The first, I knew, was not going to be a problem; however, the second was going to be a little more difficult.  
  
"Wufei," I began, following him into the room, "how did you know that Heero escaped - or, for that matter, was even here?"  
  
"Because," he said, not looking around, "I saw them bring him in with the others. There was a news conference ..." He stopped talking and scowled at the floor, his slippered feet scuffing against the smooth wooden floorboards as he recalled a particularly bitter memory. "That wasn't too bad, but when I heard they also captured Relena Peacecraft, I knew - I knew - I couldn't allow her to stay captive. The world needed her free. I had to do something." He shrugged and walked to the far side of the gymnasium. "I went to Treize and told him that I wanted everyone set free."  
  
"Everyone?" I repeated, trailing after him to the other side of the room. "Who else was captured, Wufei?"  
  
"Duo, Quatre, you, Heero ... and Relena Peacecraft," Wufei replied, standing by the side wall and unbuttoning his shirt. Apparently, he wasn't going to bother with "official" workout clothing at this point; going shirtless seemed perfectly acceptable to him. He took his shirt off, folded it neatly and laid it on top of a narrow table against the wall, then walked into the center of the room, springing lightly on the balls of his feet. Wufei stretched, lifting himself up effortlessly on his toes, feeling his balance, finding his center. "They were here. You were in the prison hospital."  
  
I frowned, kneeling on the floor next to the wall, thinking. "Right. But ... wait. That doesn't make sense. Do you mean to tell me that everyone who was captured was freed? That he let everyone go - except you? Just because you asked him to?"  
  
"And you," he threw over his shoulder, stretching his arms in the opposite direction, his muscles rippling under smooth caramel skin. "He didn't let you go. But you were brought here from the hospital, terribly injured. And, no - not just because I asked. I had to give him something in return." He scowled, looking over my shoulder as he started to stretch in a different direction. "I gave my word to Treize that I would not leave. That was one of the deals I made."  
  
I blinked. It was at that point that I started to feel really, really strange. Creepy. Cold in the pit of my stomach strange. Khushrenada had explained the situation to me in his oh-so-suave voice last night, but I had been tired, more than a little overwhelmed, and frankly, I hadn't really believed him. Now, however, the implications of what Wufei said were more than a little obvious. And frightening.  
  
Khushrenada had been telling the truth. And that meant ....  
  
"One of the deals," I repeated, pushing myself forward, looking at him intently. "How many deals did you make? Are you saying that - that you traded your own freedom for everyone else's? You gave your word to Khushrenada that you would not leave ... ever ... so that the other gundam pilots could go free?" I could feel the blood leave my face as I spoke. No, I must be wrong - I had to be wrong.  
  
Wufei nodded in assent. "Correct. I made several deals with him; this was simply one I made. It was worth it."  
  
"But ... but ... Wufei ..."  
  
"What?"  
  
" ... that means you'll never leave here."  
  
"I will never leave him. Correct. Until he dies, or grows tired of the game and kills me."  
  
Horror - pure, unadulterated horror - was the only emotion I felt moving through my veins at that moment. The only thing I was able to do was stare at him; I knew it, and I couldn't help it. How on earth was I supposed to get him away from here if he wouldn't leave Khushrenada's side? How could I save him from that nameless something I felt all around us if he refused to go? "Wufei - Wufei, please - explain. This bargain you made - what was it, exactly? Your freedom in exchange for ... for what?"  
  
"Their freedom. Everyone's freedom." He looked at me, a sidelong glance. "I told Treize I wanted you free, too - but he brought you here instead. He said that he couldn't set you free, but that he could allow you to live here with us, as a sign of good faith." A dark look flew across his face.   
  
I didn't even think about what he said regarding my own situation as I watched him for a long moment, stretching, his limbs sliding smoothly from one position to another. It was obvious he had been training; his body was shaped and sculpted - very slim, very taut, and very young, as beautiful in motion as a professional dancer's. He truly was a magnificent, exotic looking young man, just on the edge of adulthood. Fear for him knotted and twisted in my stomach the longer my gaze followed him.  
  
You must get him away from here as soon as possible, something whispered to me. He's much too beautiful ...  
  
"Wufei ... what if Treize dies before you get the chance to kill him? I mean, what if one of the other pilots comes back and kills him?" Or what if I can kill him first...  
  
He paused for a moment, considering. "I don't know. I ... hadn't thought about it."  
  
"Just an idea. I'm sure there are many people that want him dead."  
  
Snorting softly, Wufei moved his body into position and started a slow kata. "Probably. But that doesn't really matter. If you have any questions, Sally, now's the time to ask. We won't be alone for much longer."  
  
Absolutely true - we only had so much time. I thought for a moment. "Okay, Wufei - you're right. Um... let's see ... is there a regular schedule around here?"  
  
"It depends," he replied with a scowl, moving slowly from one position to the next, thrusting his arms out, palms flat and fingers rigid. "He's trying different methods to see which way I accomplish more. Like ... like I'm some kind of damned pet." His gaze became hard, his ebony eyes snapping in anger and resentment.  
  
"Wufei," I said rapidly, moving closer to him, earnest. "You only promised to stay here. That's all. You didn't promise to become a plaything, a toy. You don't have to give permission to anyone to do anything. They can force you to do things, of course, but that's a lot different than your giving him permission to do things to you."  
  
"Un." Wufei grunted and turned to face the opposite wall, his profile to me, and performed what appeared to be a series of gravity-defying balance exercises. He continued, angrily punching the air in front of him, knife hand strikes slicing invisible opponents in two, deceptively slow movements rushing together to dismember unwary antagonists. I sighed and backed away, watching as he struck, his emotions harnessed and under control.   
  
No, there doesn't seem to be a way out, Wufei. But by all means, keep looking, keep searching; I hope there's a path that I didn't see.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I watched Wufei for another two and a half hours as he exercised, a thin sheen of perspiration covering his upper body. He held positions I never thought were possible. His physical conditioning, I realized, was far above anyone I had ever seen, barring Treize. That man, I thought with a small shudder, was simply inhuman. No one should be able to move at the speeds I saw that morning.  
  
Long stretches of time came and went where Wufei and I were companionably silent - he felt no need to elaborate on points we had just discussed, and I felt no need to bring up new or old business. Somehow, though, a position he used reminded me of something else - which sparked another question from me about what he had seen during his captivity, or maybe what he hadn't - but every question was tinged with a strange undercurrent. Just what kind of deals Khushrenada want him to make?  
  
I didn't understand it at all, and frankly, it was something that I didn't really want to understand. There was something about the entire situation that felt as if it bordered on the indecent and obscene: the only thing I wanted to do for certain was grab Wufei and tear him away from this place as quickly as I possibly could. Even my Romefeller commanding officers, as sleazy and corrupt as they had been, had never inspired this kind of fear and aversion in me. It was completely unnerving, to say the least.  
  
And speaking of Romefeller .... I was suddenly reminded of Treize's preternatural knowledge of my history with that organization, and my involvement in Wufei's colony.   
  
Such as how I could have been responsible for the death of Wufei's wife.  
  
I swallowed and looked down at the floor, praying that I hadn't just turned as pale as I thought I had. Wufei had finished his katas a while ago, put his shirt back on and was seated on the floor across from me in a perfect lotus position, his head raised, face calm and serene.  
  
Small rivulets of perspiration traveled down the side of my face and disappeared beneath my collar. I had to tell him - I had no choice. If I didn't do it now, I would lose any advantage I had. Honesty and speed were the only weapons I had against Khushrenada; he knew exactly what my role had been in the clearing of Wufei's colony, A0206. And somehow, God only knew how, he even knew how I pulled my men away before any extensive damage was done.  
  
And honestly, I had no idea how he knew that - I certainly didn't tell anyone. My men didn't tell anyone, I was sure. It was yet something else that made my hands tremble slightly just thinking about it, and that made me angry. Cursing myself for showing that weakness, I clutched my hands together in my lap and hated Khushrenada even more.  
  
"Wufei."   
  
"Un."   
  
"Did you know that I once worked for the Romefeller Foundation?"   
  
Blinking slowly, adjusting his gaze as he came back from that purely meditative state, Wufei looked at me. "No."   
  
Ah, this was hard. I sighed, trying to find the words. "Well, then, it's time you knew. I did - at one time - follow the orders of General Septem."   
  
"Many did," he replied, frowning a little at me. He had stopped his meditation, turning his complete attention toward me, watching closely. "Zechs worked for the military at one time. He worked for OZ, once. Now he is gone."   
  
I wondered who, exactly, he was referring to. I thought I knew, but I wasn't entirely sure. "Un. Ah ... I'm a doctor, but I was under orders to perform any tasks they deemed appropriate for my rank and experience."   
  
Nodding, Wufei still looked at me. "Obviously. You were part of the military."   
  
Oh, feh, feh; there he was, watching me with that amazingly candid expression of his, the sunlight from the windows shining in his hair. Distracting, that's what it was; he was completely open and honest, waiting for me to continue. I took a deep breath.   
  
"You have a right to know, Wufei. You - you asked for me; you saved me from spending a good deal of my life in prison. There are - things - in my life, that, if I could, I would go back and fix. Redo. Or not do at all. One of those things would be working for Romefeller. When I joined ..."   
  
I trailed off for a moment, thinking, bitter. Damn. I resented having to tell him this - I resented it and was afraid of it at the same time. He could completely reject me once he found out my part in his wife's death; that, however, was a chance I had been compelled to take, whether I liked it or not. Khushrenada had forced my hand by telling me how much he knew about my past. I knew he would use it against me at his first opportunity. At least I knew I would in the same situation. I couldn't afford to take the chance.   
  
"...when I joined, I thought I'd be able to make a difference in people's lives. Little did I realize the kind of difference I would actually make."   
  
"What are you talking about, woman?"   
  
I looked him squarely in the eye. "I was ordered to kill people, Wufei. I was ordered to go to planets, asteroids ... wherever I was told they needed me to go. So - I did. And usually, my orders were to send out troops that would 'cleanse' the areas - meaning, kill all the people living there."   
  
"Hai." So far, this was old news to Wufei, something he accepted when he realized I had been with the military. You join the military, you kill people. That was part of your job, the same as 'join the military and do what you're told' is part of the job.   
  
Well, he didn't know it, but I changed that part of the job.   
  
"I was ordered, by General Septem, to eliminate a 'dangerous element' on one of the colonies, about a year ago. That 'dangerous element' was on colony A0206."   
  
And I waited. I hadn't changed my position; I was still looking him square in the eye, my head raised, waiting for his reaction. - but I felt so sad, so bleak.   
  
He looked at me for a long moment. His normal, dusky complexion became pale.   
  
".......A0......."   
  
".....206. Yes."   
  
We continued to stare at each other for a moment. It was awful - his eyes looked like they were getting larger by the second.   
  
".....wh .... what?" he stammered, blinking at me. I could almost hear his thoughts - no, I must have heard wrong, she didn't say that at all ....   
  
"I ordered my men to the colony, Wufei. But you must also understand this-"   
  
"-YOU ... you ... you're the ....Septem ordered you to...." His voice rose and fell in volume, following the thread of his thoughts as he stared at me, several expressions, none of them good, chasing across his face.   
  
I set my face into what I hoped was a stoic mask, waiting for him to finish. He had to get this out of his system, and I knew he hadn't made all the connections between the attack on his colony, the death of his wife and my presence yet. Guilt - that horrid emotion that just never seemed to leave, no matter what I did - camped out right in the middle of my chest, causing every breath I drew to become suffocatingly more difficult.   
  
"Septem did that? He ordered the attack on my colony?" Wufei finally asked, his voice strident and harsh. He was still seated in his lotus position, but his hands were lying limply in his lap.   
  
"Yes, he did. Septem ordered the attack." I didn't shrink from telling him; I couldn't - I owed him that much. "And I had no idea what that 'dangerous element' was, only that my superiors wanted it eliminated. I argued, but eventually, I followed orders, at least at first. I ordered my soldiers to start the attack on A0206. And they did."   
  
It was easier talking to him if I didn't look at him, so I looked down at the training room floor. "But that was the same day I decided I was finished with Romefeller, because I found out what was really on A0206. When I had the opportunity - when the commander's Leo was blown out of the sky - I reported the mission a success, and recalled all the pilots." I raised my head and stared at him. "I - left. That was the last time I held a field commission. I came back to Earth."   
  
".....Septem....... did this? It was ..... Septem? You're sure it was Septem?"   
  
His voice was soft and a little too high as he stared back at me. He had lost his lotus position and was sitting on the floor, sprawled. Reaching up, he held his head with one shaking hand. "....gods...."   
  
I reached out with one hand and touched his arm. "I'm sorry, Wufei," I whispered, feeling powerless to help or comfort him, knowing how much hurt he must have been feeling. "But I had to tell you. You deserved to know."   
  
He seemed to be paralyzed, and was looking more and more upset. I leaned forward and looked into his eyes; alarmed, I saw his eyes grow simply enormous, and his expression turn from shocked alarm to completely horrified.   
  
"Why ... why didn't he tell me...? Oh, gods, he probably did ... and I wasn't paying attention..."   
  
I blinked, confused. "He? He wh--" I broke off, staring at Wufei, finally realizing who he was talking about; and now my stomach felt as though it was trying to push its way down to my toes, cold and as leaden as stone.   
  
"I ... I don't think Treize would have mentioned this, Wufei. I think ..."   
  
And then it hit me - he used me, that rotten bastard. With an angry shudder, I realized that I had been manipulated to do just this. "...no - now I'm sure he was expecting me to tell you everything I just told you."   
  
Wufei's eyes were tightly closed. "I have been trying to kill an innocent man!"   
  
I was completely taken aback. "What? Khushrenada? Innocent?"   
  
"Oh, my gods ... and he ... he was going to let me .. because of my honor!"   
  
Now I was at a complete loss. I would have preferred that Wufei rail and scream at me for killing his wife, or killing his people. "What are you talking about, Wufei? Treize - innocent? There were countless casualties during the last raid! You can't possibly believe that he's innocent!" I felt angry and desperate, as though he was slipping away from me. "Don't you remember what happened at Edwards? Don't you?"   
  
He was silent, staring in front of him, concentrating on his breathing. "I ... I don't ... that's not the point ...."   
  
"--that is the point - you were the only one who saw the setup, Wufei - the only one! You were the only pilot that saw the gundams were lured in there - lured! - and by whom?"   
  
I couldn't stop; the memories were too strong, too overwhelming, and the feeling that I was losing him was too powerful. "What kind of honor is that, Wufei? Killing innocent people, and using other people to do your work for you? Not even acknowledging your part? That's not honor - that's the lowest form of cowardice there is! Please, Wufei, please, you can't possibly believe he's innocent!"   
  
Wufei was silent, not answering me, putting both hands over his head as he bent forward, eyes closed.   
  
Then a low, resonant voice, speaking in even tones, pierced the stillness from the doorway behind me.   
  
"Why ... is everything all right in here?"   
  
I froze, staring at Wufei with eyes wide with shock as my breath caught in my throat.   
  
Oh dear gods. Khushrenada was back.   
  
^*^*^**^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I was numb. And scared. And one hundred percent sure the General heard me yammering about what a coward he was - after all, I hadn't bothered to lower my voice. Had I been able to hit myself in the head, I would have; I was such a moron. The first rule, when communicating with other prisoners, is never to forget where you are - always be aware of your surroundings.  
  
Gods. And not only did I forget where I was, I ended up getting all emotional and exciting Wufei, which didn't help matters at all. What a mess.  
  
So I did the only thing I could do. Still seated, I straightened up and turned around with a very unfriendly look in my eye, ready to stand and meet my enemy face to face. At least I didn't have to pretend to be angry at Khushrenada, that rotten excuse for a human being. He was the one who had used me to get to Wufei, after all.  
  
Wufei, on the other hand, looked like a spooked deer in the headlights of an oncoming troop train, ready to bolt at any second.  
  
"Wufei?" Treize said, a note of concern creeping into his voice.  
  
Abruptly, the boy sprang up from the floor and took off, pounding out of the room and vanishing through the doorway on the opposite side.  
  
"Oh, my," Treize said, watching him go, very calm.  
  
Now I painfully unfolded my legs and clambered to my feet, following Wufei's example. My legs were still rather stiff and sore, as was my back.  
  
"Do you need some help?" Treize asked me, looking puzzled.  
  
"No!" I snapped, glaring at him. "....thank you," I added, muttering, as I briskly rubbed feeling back into my left leg. Blood rushing back into my knee and calf left me gasping a bit, that painful prickly feeling nearly buckling my leg.   
  
"You're welcome," Treize replied, trailing off as he turned toward the rear doorway again. "Is he all right?" he asked, turning back to me, his gaze intense. "What happened here? He hasn't done something like that in ages."  
  
I lifted my head and stared right at him. "I told him what happened on A0206."   
  
"Ah ... sou." Now he had the grace to look sad. "Poor child. He hasn't come to terms with what happened there at all." He sighed, looking at me. "You were very brave to tell him. I'm sorry he reacted like this."  
  
Not like I had a bloody choice in the matter, now, was it? I kept looking at him, but that anger that had stiffened my spine and narrowed my eyes - that heart pounding acrimony that pushed me upright - wasn't as strong now as it had been a few moments ago. It was very weird; the longer he spoke to me, the less anger I felt toward him. I didn't like that.  
  
"Well, really - it was to be expected. It's quite natural to be upset when you believe one thing to be true, only to discover that something completely different is also true. His entire idea of what had happened to his colony was turned upside down."  
  
Now Treize looked concerned again. "I'm not sure if I should go after him or not - it might make things worse."  
  
"That's entirely up to you," I said, trying to make my voice sound even and calm. "But if, as you say, you'd like him to come to terms with his life, you might consider allowing him the space to sift the information himself. After all, he can always ask you questions later."  
  
Treize seemed to relent. "Well, that is certainly true. Maa, the poor boy..."  
  
I sighed and looked over at the opposite end of the room, where Wufei had disappeared, wishing that I could disappear over there with him.   
  
"Would you like to sit down? You look ... pale."  
  
I turned back, a pointed, impertinent remark dying on my lips as I looked at Treize. Sunlight glinted off his hair, making it golden; and he was looking down at me, his gaze very calm, very cool, and very much in control. It was one of the most powerful looks I had ever seen, directed entirely at me.   
  
And it was affecting me, to the point where I felt nearly overwhelmed. "I ... I ...yes," I stammered, barely pulling myself together, "I'd like to go somewhere else, if I may ..."  
  
"But of course, Ms. Po," he murmured. "Where would you like to go? My horses are in the mood for play, if you'd like to see them now." He smiled at me - a hypnotic smile that didn't reach his eyes - and said, "I have shoes for you now. They should fit, assuming, of course, that your military boots were the correct size."  
  
I looked up at him quickly. "Shoes? Really?" And then I looked down and cursed myself for sounding so eager - just like some idiot farm girl who had never seen a pair of shoes before, I thought, thoroughly annoyed at myself.  
  
His smile grew a little larger, and his eyelids moved just a fraction lower as he looked at me. "Yes, Ms. Po - shoes. Did you think I was always going to keep you in house slippers?"  
  
And now I was completely flustered. I could feel my face getting hot again as I looked anywhere but at his face. "I ... I ... no, of course not. And - and I would enjoy seeing your horses -"  
  
"Of course! They are lovely creatures," Treize said, putting his arm around my shoulders and escorting me out of the training room. "Forgive me, but I am somewhat proud of them. It's been a hobby of mine since I was twelve." He sighed as he maneuvered me through the doorway and down the hallway, lightly guiding me toward the main rooms at the front of the house, keeping his arm around me. "One must admit ... beauty in nature is lovely - but natural beauty that one has formed and shaped one's self carries an extra sense of glory ... don't you think?"  
  
"Ah ... yes ...," I murmured, casting about in my mind frantically for something semi-intelligent to say. I felt this huge, physical presence from him that was incredibly disconcerting. I tried to surreptitiously move out from under his arm as I said, "I ... I noticed a roan out in the meadow this morning. He was quite handsome."  
  
  
"He is my own," Treize purred into my ear, changing his position so that both his hands were on my shoulders as he steered me into the library. "Now - as to your shoes - of course, I wasn't certain what style you would like, so for the moment, there are two choices."  
  
He gently directed me to the couch in the library, his hands still on my shoulders. I looked back at him and gave him a weak smile as I realized that I was not in control of anything - yet another feeling I didn't like.  
  
"Well ... three choices, really, but the last isn't much of an option, I'm afraid."  
  
Pushing down gently on my shoulders, Treize sat me down on the couch and sat next to me, his gaze holding mine, smiling right at me. "Those, I think, I will show you first."  
  
He leaned down and dipped his hand into a bag next to the sofa, a bag I just noticed, and pulled out a pair of beautiful, strappy, outright sexy high heeled shoes. Black leather. Italian. I couldn't remember the last time I wore anything like those shoes, or had an occasion to go somewhere that required me to wear something like them.  
  
"These are for Friday, at the opera," he said casually as he handed them to me. I accepted them, trying to be as casual and matter-of-fact as he was; but my gaze kept returning to them, admiring them on the sly  
  
With a small smile, Treize continued to rummage in his bag and pulled out a pair of boots that nearly duplicated those that I wore when I was piloting the medical shuttle.  
  
"Now, you may or may not want to wear these, but yours were ... quite ruined. So you have them, should you choose to wear them."  
  
"Oh ... they look very nice," I said, relief evident in my voice as I took one boot in my hand and flexed the toe.  
  
He pulled out a simple pair of dark brown leather loafers from the bag. "I thought, perhaps, you might prefer these - they will match whatever you wear. As long as you're not into ... ah ... what is the term?... 'grunge.'"  
  
"'Grunge?' What is that?" I asked, confused.  
  
Treize chuckled. "Youth. Some of them consider it quite pleasing to be as filthy and disheveled as possible. I do not particularly agree."  
  
Well, no. Obviously, none of those people had ever spent any time out in the field during a war, either. You wore plenty of 'grunge' during war.   
  
"Is there anything else you need?"   
  
I looked at Treize, silent a moment, thinking. "How cold is it outside?"   
  
"Fairly cold. You'll be borrowing one of my parkas."   
  
I nodded. "That's why I was ..." I trailed off, looking at him. "But .. um ... the arms will be much too long," I protested weakly, feeling more than a little strange at wearing something of his.   
  
Ick, ick, ick. Not what I wanted to do, really, thanks very much.   
  
"Not at all," he smiled. "It belongs to me, but I don't wear it. Wufei does."   
  
"Oh," I said, slightly mollified. "But .. but I don't want to take something away from Wufei-"   
  
"Now, please, Sally," he said, raising an eyebrow at me, "Wufei is hardly wearing it right now, is he? At any rate, should he wish to, there are other coats available for him, as well."   
  
"Oh ... of course," I said faintly.   
  
Treize stood and looked down at me, a smile playing around his lips. "I think you're outfitted correctly. I'll make sure you have gloves before you leave the house. Now ... if you will excuse me for just a moment ..." He patted me on the shoulder and leaned down. Looking directly into my eyes, he said, calmly and firmly, "Stay here." Turning, he walked over to the doorway behind him and disappeared through it.   
  
I watched him leave the room, feeling completely exhausted. Don't squander what time you have, I scolded myself - get those boots on and start breaking them in now. Abandoning the slippers and pulling first the left boot and then the right boot on, I stood and pushed my feet down into the soft leather, stamping into them.   
  
Of course - a perfect fit. I swallowed and stared at the boots. Absolutely comfortable, just the right height, slightly wider where I needed it… perfect. Made just for me.   
  
Perfect. Gods.   
  
I was still staring at my feet when the insistent noise penetrated the fog around my brain. Frowning, I turned toward the back of the room and saw what appeared to be the third farmhand from the stables gesturing at me from the large window facing the paddock, looking as if his life depended upon it.   
  
How completely ... bizarre. Shaking my head, I walked over to the large window; the leaded glass made a nice contrast with the traditional European pieces customarily found in that kind of house. Why doesn't he just come into the house? Unlocking and pulling the French window toward me, I looked at the bundled man with slight suspicion and said, "Ah … yes?"   
  
The farmhand stared at me from under a huge muffler and hat, the collar of his coat turned up against the wind, shiny purple eyes regarding me triumphantly. "So you ARE here …"   
  
Immediately, I grasped the windowframe to keep from falling into the shrubbery. "Ah!" I gasped. "Duo, it's you!"   
  
"Shhhh!" he cautioned, his eyes darting right to left and then back again. "I don't have much time. Look - here's my number, okay? Try to call me." Duo passed me a small piece of paper. "I gotta get outta here before they figure out I'm NOT that other guy."   
  
I nodded quickly, glancing over my shoulder as I stuffed the paper into my pants pocket. No one was coming back yet. "I'll call you, Duo, if I have to make my own phone-"   
  
He snorted. "Nah. He'll probably give you one if you do what he wants. Works on the Pavlov principle - you behave, you get a treat." Abruptly, Duo's eyes slid to the left and right as he muttered, "All right, that's it. I'm outta here."   
  
Duo leapt away from the window and ran around the side of the house. At the same time, I smoothly pushed the window closed and locked it with one hand and stamped my feet on the floor, pretending to break in my new boots, my heart beating faster. Anyone glancing into the room would have seen me leaning against the window, casually stamping my feet. At least, that's what I hoped they'd see.   
  
Maybe, just maybe, something might go right. Something might happen so that Wufei and I can leave, and --   
  
"My, it's certainly chilly in here."   
  
I looked up quickly to see Treize standing in the doorway, watching me, his eyes glittering. I didn't say a word - but I did move, slowly, away from the window and toward him. His gaze didn't leave mine the entire time.   
  
"Ms. Po, I'd like you to meet Dr. White. She will be checking you before we go riding, ne?" He moved to one side to allow a small, elderly woman with sharp blue eyes to walk into the room, a plain black bag slung over one shoulder, her bearing stiff and straight, as if from years in the military.   
  
"Yes, of course, Treize," I murmuerd to him, dropping my gaze and looking at Dr. White. "How do you do, Dr. White?"   
  
"I think the question is how you are. Please sit, miss," Dr. White said, nodding sharply to the chair on my right. Her entire manner screamed 'military doctor,' one of the no-nonsense, used-to-being-obeyed-instantly people I studied under in medical school and then worked with when I was with Romefeller.   
  
"Yes, ma'am," I said quietly. No need in ruffling her fur any farther than I had to - she might even be able to give me a little information if I was careful enough ...   
  
"Excuse me, ladies. I am going to try to find our delinquent," Treize said, nodding to both of us. He gave me a last, significant look before turning on his heel and walking down the corridor, presumably going to look for Wufei.   
  
Dr. White chuckled softly, looking out the door of the library. "I will never know what possessed that man to be so generous."   
  
Generous? I slid a look over to her as I concentrated on getting my breathing and heartrate under control. Oh, sure, he's generous. Just watch what he wants from the boy.   
  
"You will be examining me here, Doctor?"   
  
"Unless you prefer somewhere else, young lady, yes." I watched Dr. White warm her stethoscope in her hand; and even though I thought she was an old battleaxe from the oldest school imaginable, that small courtesy went a long way in redeeming her in my eyes. She didn't have to do that - but it was a small concession to my comfort, something that I appreciated. Not everyone would have done that.   
  
She picked up my wrist and timed my pulse in a businesslike, efficient manner, then peered into my eyes and probed around my face and throat a little.   
  
"Open your mouth, please."   
  
Obediently, I opened my mouth and stared down, a little to one side, right into her open bag. I was thinking about Duo and his strange visit. He gave me his phone number, of all things - and now I needed to get to an untapped phone line. How could I do it? Wait for Treize to give me my own line, so he could listen in with impunity? Use the computer line? Or....   
  
My gaze slid into her open doctor's bag - and there, sitting on top of her tongue depressors and other instruments, was her cellphone. It was cute, accessible, and portable .. and she'd never miss it.   
  
My mind was racing. I could easily palm it, then use it outside when I was with the horses, then hide it somewhere else. I could -   
  
"Wouldn't think of snitching anything, if I were you," Dr. White said casually. "I know to watch out for you. Why he has you here is beyond me."   
  
I was shocked, and stared at her as she felt about my lymph nodes and throat.   
  
"You have nothing of value for me to take," I said with all the asperity I could muster. "I don't need tongue depressors."   
  
"Mmm hmm," she murmured, obviously not believing me as she peered into my eyes again, shining the light at my pupils.   
  
"Didn't they dilate enough?" I asked, squinting against the light.   
  
"Almost. Not quite. I'd say you're still a little under the weather, but well out of danger."   
  
She started testing my reflexes, and I decided to see if I could get her talking a little. "I .. I don't believe we've met before. It must have been a long trip for you to come all this way."   
  
"It's not that bad a trip by helicopter. I've been taking care of Master Treize for years, anyway - although," she added dryly, "he usually doesn't take criminals in. I swear, one day that conscience of his is going to get him killed."   
  
Dr. White was silent then, pulling out a needle to take some blood while I sat there and digested what she just told me. A helicopter pad? Here? No wonder people could come and go so quickly. And 'Master' Treize? What could that possibly mean?   
  
"I'm going to take some blood," Dr. White said, holding the needle in front of me and pulling out the large rubber band for my upper arm.   
  
I sighed and pushed up my sleeve for her, to make it easier to put on the rubber band, hoping she would continue talking.   
  
"....it is a long way out here, at that," she said, continuing as though she had never stopped. "But I'm glad I'm not staying out here for the night. Of course, it's better than that island of his." She chuckled at that. "Really, he came out here, to this house, for me. I didn't want to go all the way to that island of his to take care of you people."   
  
"Really....," I said, struggling to keep my voice even and calm, "an island..."   
  
"Mmmm... of course," she replied, watching the blood leap into the vial and loosening the tourniquet on my upper arm. "It's where he's spending most of his time now, the poor dear. I suspect it has something to do with that murderer he's taken in ... he's always too concerned about others, and not concerned enough about himself," she ended on a scolding note.   
  
"Murderer?" I repeated blankly, not knowing who she was talking about.   
  
She gave me a stern look that had me quailing in no time flat. "That boy, miss. Didn't you know he was a gundam pilot? Heavens," she sighed, shaking her head, "Master Treize is braver than I, trying to reform the world."   
  
"Ah .. the boy," I said, looking at her.   
  
Dr. White frowned. "Vicious killer." The doctor put a cotton swab on the inside of my arm as she took out the needle and pressed down on the wound, then folded my lower arm around the swab. "Responsible for the deaths at the Victoria base, I hear."   
  
"I'm - I'm not familiar with that at all," I said, frowning. She was talking about Wufei...?   
  
The doctor glanced at me. "Hmmm. 'Accessory.' 'Vigilante.' No, I guess that wouldn't give you too much information." Leaning close to me, she said, "That boy is the one who single-handedly wiped out the troops at the Victoria base in Africa. He didn't blow up the suits, even. Just the dormitories." Her lips tightened. "He was positively identified by witnesses."   
  
I stared at her. "I find that hard to believe. He's just a boy."   
  
She gave me another hard look, which had me wishing I could melt back into the chair. Bending down to eye level with me, she said, evenly, "Miss. You have a chance at life. Don't blow it because he looks like a boy. He's not. None of them are." Her voice hardened as she continued, right in my face, "He rigged explosives throughout the entire living quarters and killed almost two hundred young men with the push of a button."   
  
She pulled back, more, I think, to assess the impact of her words than anything else. "If you have any sense at all about you, forget whatever you thought before and listen to Master Treize." Her voice softened a little. "He has a head on his shoulders, and a heart big enough for the world. He wants to reform you? I say, you let him." She touched my face gently, almost motherly, compassion stealing into her blue eyes. "You're much too young to throw everything away."   
  
I looked down, blinking. "I ... I will think about what you said, Dr. White."   
  
She shook her head at me again. "Much too young to be involved in all this," she repeated softly, sighing. "I hope you take your second chance and mend your ways, young lady. Not everyone gets that opportunity. You are fortunate." She started packing her supplies back into her medical kit, her weathered hands sure and steady.   
  
"I will, Dr. White," I promised, sliding a last, longing glance into her bag as I watched the doctor pack her cellphone away with her needles and other equipment. "I want to live."   
  
"You're ready to go outside," the doctor said, giving me one last assessing look. "Just don't overexert yourself. If you feel tired, stop. And don't fall off the horse," she added with a chuckle, slinging her bag over her shoulder.   
  
"No, ma'am, I won't," I agreed with a smile.   
  
She patted my cheek once, smiling back at me and nodding; it looked as though she had hope for me, whatever that meant. "Take care, Ms. Po," she murmured, turned, and left me alone with my thoughts.   
  
I sat and stared at the doorway for a few moments, my sleeve rolled above my elbow, my arm still folded, and felt my new companion, slow horror, moving through me again. An island? How in hell were we supposed to get off an island?   
  
All right - well, we weren't there yet, so there was still hope. Angrily I shoved my sleeve down my arm as I stood up, now more than ever determined to find a way out for both Wufei and me. I was not going to allow that man to take the advantage again.   
  
"I'll find my own damn parka and our way out of here, thank you very much," I snarled to myself, and stomped off in the direction of the kitchen. 


	11. Chapter 10

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Tapestry - Chapter 10  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I found my way to the kitchen, my mind busily turning over all the little details I needed to consider before I could take Wufei and escape this place. Practically speaking, I needed to ensure we both had outerwear and transportation; and that, nicely enough, had just been provided by our host, along with my perfectly sized boots.   
  
Gods. I glanced down at my feet and shuddered again. Right. They were perfect; perfect fit, perfect look, perfect comfort - just .. perfect. Gads. Made just for me, hmm? I didn't want to spend much time dwelling on that - it was just a little too ... personal.  
  
Once we were dressed and riding, though, we'd need a good escape route. Fortunately, the horses were perfect vehicles for escape - they were able to negotiate terrain that cars and motorcycles couldn't. I smiled as I turned the corner, thinking of the look on the last OZ commander's face when my team and I fled into the woods on hunters, jumping across his patrol cars and over a six foot bracken hedge before we disappeared into the forest. That stupid man had commandeered as many armored vehicles as he could, and positioned them to cut off our escape, yet we still rode right through his line and into the woods.  
  
Yes, horses were perfect for the job.   
  
But now I heard murmurings floating from the kitchen in a voice that sounded like Treize's - and that couldn't possibly be good. I was worried. Treize left me in Dr. White's care, and had taken off looking for Wufei. If he was talking now... well ... apparently, he found him. I tried to move as silently as I could, but my boots continued to make those small, annoying clicking sounds on the tiled floor of the hallway, not exactly giving me the advantage I wanted.   
  
It really didn't matter. The first thing I saw was Treize and Wufei, standing together outside the kitchen, and it was patently obvious that neither one had heard me clatter down the corridor.   
  
Treize was leaning on the wall with one arm, his body bent toward Wufei, his full attention centered on the boy, murmuring softly to him. Wufei, for his part, was literally boxed against the wall; with his head down and his eyes almost closed, he looked utterly lost. Treize's expression, though, was rather warm, slightly possessive, and very sensual. He touched Wufei's face gently, smiling at him, then lifted his gaze to meet mine, smiling openly at me.   
  
"Ah, Ms. Po! And did Dr. White like what she saw?"   
  
Gahh... Dr. White may have liked what she saw, but I was having a hard time with the scene in front of me. Pushing down a sudden, acute desire to yank Wufei out from under his arm and dash out the door, I turned my best 'everything's just super' smile on Treize and said insincerely, "Oh, absolutely, she did. She said I was in excellent shape."   
  
"Wonderful!" Treize exclaimed, straightening as he looked at me, his hand dropping away from the wall and out of Wufei's personal space. "Would you like to see the horses now, or not? We will be leaving tomorrow, so if you'd like to see them, it does need to be rather soon."   
  
"She did warn me not to overdo things," I continued, heedless of what Treize had just said, so intent was I at keeping my 'healthy' appearance in front of both of them. "But of course I'd love to -"   
  
And then it hit me. My smile frozen in place, I asked, "We - we're leaving tomorrow?"   
  
"Yes," Treize confirmed, nodding. "I don't believe Wufei likes the cold weather very much. Hence, if you'd like to see the animals, we really should be on our way."   
  
Hoping my disappointed expression properly covered my shock and dismay, I sighed and said, "I suppose this means we won't be going to the opera on Friday ...?"   
  
He chucked. "We shall, you and I. Possibly Wufei, if he feels better."   
  
"Ah," I said, cursing my mind for being too slow and unable to come up with a better response. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, and I was having trouble controlling my body language and expression. Gods - leaving? He was probably going to drag us off to that island Dr. White mentioned for a while, and that meant no escape attempts - at least until I figured out where we were. And then I was going to the opera with him on Friday? Alone? Better than dragging Wufei along, but still ... simply the idea gave me chills. "Well. Since we're going to leave tomorrow, I'd really like to ride a bit today." I smiled up at him, trying to project the image of hearty good health. "If I may, of course."   
  
"Of course, Ms. Po," Treize responded. He looked at me, and again I had the feeling he was seeing - or hearing - more than usual. Ridiculous, I chided myself. People can't overhear someone else's thoughts. It's just your paranoid imagination running rampant again.   
  
Turning from me, Treize leaned toward Wufei again - who had not moved from his position next to the wall - and asked, gently, "Are you coming, Wufei?"   
  
"I don't see why not," Wufei murmured, closing his eyes briefly, as if what he was seeing was too much to bear.   
  
"Good boy," Treize said, smiling, and playfully stroked Wufei's chin. A gesture any father figure may have made; but somehow, watching him, that's not how it came across. Again, I had to push down this immediate urge to slap his hand away - where is that feeling coming from? gods, if I'm not careful, I might actually DO it - and stand there quietly, watching him caress Wufei. Surprisingly enough, Wufei didn't react to that touch at all; he didn't shove him away and he didn't try to avoid him by turning his head.   
  
Something was very weird.   
  
"Come with me, please," Treize said, eyeing me as he smoothly moved away from Wufei. Calling over his should as he walked through the kitchen to the back door, he asked, "You do want a coat, ne?"   
  
"Oh ... ah ... yes, yes, I do," I stammered, shaking myself. I was still watching Wufei - who was in shock of some kind, I realized - and I moved closer to him, looking from Treize's retreating back to Wufei's stunned expression.   
  
"Wufei," I said quietly, leaning down to get a better look at his eyes. "Wufei, what's wrong?"   
  
He took a deep breath and refused to meet my gaze, keeping his head bowed. "I ... I am," he finally said, a small tear squeezing out of his eye and trembling on the corner of his lid. "I was ... so ... wrong ..."   
  
"What are you talking about?" I whispered, alarmed at his obvious distress. "You weren't wrong - your instincts were right! Believe in yourself, Wufei - trust yourself. You know what's true-"   
  
"No, I don't. Not anymore. I never even believed-" and suddenly, he stopped talking completely, closing his mouth and staring at the floor, as if he realized he had said too much already.   
  
"You believed enough to continue to try."   
  
"No, I did not," he said, his voice rising in volume. "I was here because I believed that by killing that man, I could avenge my wife's death - and now I've found out that I was WRONG!"   
  
I winced, wishing that he wasn't so loud with his declarations - Treize was bound to hear him, and in some ways, I knew he would take what Wufei was saying as a victory.   
  
" ... and I don't even understand what she believed. I don't know why she believed it. I don't SEE this justice - where is it? what is it? I don't even think it exists!" He panted a little, his eyes wide and haunted as he finally looked at me.   
  
"You're trying to find justice in this world, Wufei?"   
  
He looked at me for a long moment before responding. "No," he said evenly, "I never was. My ... my wife did. Nataku. She died for it." He took a deep breath and looked away. "I should die, too."   
  
"But she knew what justice was when she died, didn't she?"   
  
"She thought she did," he mumbled. "She could never ... never answer my questions ..."   
  
As I leaned toward him, Treize's voice caught me unawares, drifting through the room. "All is ready! Come out when you are." I looked up to see his silhouette, backlit from the light streaming through the windows for an instant before he disappeared through the side door.   
  
"Then you will do her a great disservice if you die before discovering what that 'justice' is she died for. Sometimes, there aren't words to describe what you know is true in your heart."   
  
"It isn't in my heart," he said softly. "It never was. Why do you think she died fighting your forces instead of me?" His expression was desolate, lost. "I should have been the one out there. I should have ... but I wasn't. And now I -"   
  
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, his voice barely audible, his eyes closed, "- now I have nothing left."   
  
"No, that's not true." I shook my head firmly and put my face directly in front of him, forcing him to look at me. "You have the memory of your wife, and the potential of your people lives within you-"   
  
"I have my shame for them," he broke in, his hands and body trembling slightly. "I have failed all of them - all my ancestors."   
  
"No!" I said with more emphasis. "You have their potential within you. You did NOT shame them - you carry them with you."   
  
"I have shamed them," he said, his jaw clenched. "I have .. FAILED. Strength determines justice. I have failed completely - and against an innocent man." His face grim and expressionless, he said, "We should go. He's waiting." Abruptly, Wufei pushed away from the wall, inhaled deeply and stood up straight, swiping at his face with the back of his arm. "Come."   
  
In one motion he was off, striding across the kitchen, taking the same path Treize had taken, his back straight and still, shoulders back. I watched him and wondered; how was I supposed to persuade him to come with me when he persisted in believing that Khushrenada was innocent? This had to be one of the most frustrating rescue attempts I had ever been involved with - forgetting for the moment that I was a prisoner, too, it was incredibly frustrating when the person you were trying to rescue didn't want to be rescued. In fact, I was quite sure that if I tried to take him by force, he'd fight me.   
  
I sighed and trotted after him.   
  
Treize was outside, waiting for us, speaking with one of the farmhands. He was wearing a handsome leather jacket and leather gloves; the farmhand was bundled against the chill, a muffler around his face and nose obscuring his features. There was something vaguely familiar about him, though what it was my overworked mind just couldn't place.   
  
"Here you are, Ms. Po," Treize said pleasantly, holding out a fur lined beige leather jacket for me. Wufei had taken a coat from the peg next to the door before he went outside; when I saw that, I wondered what I was going to wear.   
  
"Why ... thank you," I said, turning and dipping my arms into the sleeves, shrugging into the coat. Treize helped, settling the garment around my shoulders before taking his hands away from me. I kept my gaze lowered as I pulled the zipper closed and dug my hands into the pockets of the coat, breathing a little faster until he stopped touching me. It was very strange; I couldn't remember being so acutely aware of anyone touching me, ever. Every time he even came close to me, it was as if an electric current jumped from his body to mine, short circuiting rational thinking on my part for a while.   
  
"Here, Ms. Po."   
  
Soft leather gloves were gently pushed into my hands. I turned, looking up into Treize's smiling face. "We wouldn't want your hands going numb, now. Then you couldn't ride well at all."   
  
Was there a double meaning in that? I wondered, staring at him. "Ah, thank you, Treize - my hands were getting cold."   
  
"My pleasure. Now, if you please - would you both come this way." He gestured to a small flagstone path leading from the house to the paddock, nodding at Wufei and me to precede him. I gave him a small smile and walked toward the barn, Wufei next to me. Treize followed close behind.   
  
"We are having guests for dinner," Treize said evenly. "I do believe I shall have to ask you both to stay in your rooms. Perhaps. I'm not sure yet." He raised one eyebrow, giving us a significant look. "Just a warning."   
  
"Oh," I replied, trying to appear as noncommittal as possible. On the one hand, it would be interesting to see what type of people he dined with; but on the other hand, that situation could become extremely uncomfortable, especially if he entertained my former superiors. I would not enjoy sitting between officers and generals I had abandoned in favor of the resistance. They would feel no compunction, and would poke and prod until they drew blood or a reaction from me - and at this point, I'd probably opt for the direct route, and attack them with my bare hands.   
  
"Yeah. Right."   
  
I frowned and looked over at Wufei. He gave Treize a black scowl, obviously not believing what the general said. "We'll be put on display, just like every other God-damned time."   
  
"Wufei," Treize said, gently reprimanding. "Language. Please."   
  
He twisted his lip and continued to scowl, but obeyed and closed his mouth. I glanced at both of them, then turned my attention to the barn. One of the farmhands led that handsome roan I saw earlier that morning out of the stable, already saddled and bridled. Treize walked over to his horse, murmuring softly as he stroked the animal's shoulders. The roan arched his neck and swung his large head over to Treize, nuzzling, looking for affection and snuffing his jacket just in case there was food hidden somewhere.   
  
Treize chuckled and scratched behind the roan's ears for a moment, then gathered the reins in one hand and mounted him in one easy, swift motion. Looking absolutely dashing on the back of his steed, Treize gazed down at Wufei and me and smiled. Touching his heels to the roan's flank, Treize lifted the reins and guided the horse away from the barn and out to the meadow at a slow canter.   
  
I watched him leave, remembering the easy way he swung over the horse's back. Only someone who was an accomplished horseman could mount and take charge of his horse so easily.   
  
"What would you like?"   
  
Shaking my head, I blinked and turned, looking right at the farmhand that brought Treize his mount. "Um ... what do you have? I'm an experienced rider, so -"   
  
"Two mares. One gelding. One two-year-old colt."   
  
"....Trowa...." Wufei murmured softly, staring at him.   
  
"I'd suggest the gelding for you," he continued, speaking to me, not reacting at all to Wufei's quiet outburst.   
  
A beat passed as I looked at him, astonishment and delight at finding an ally in the enemy's camp spreading through me. It's Trowa ... "Of course. I think I can manage that."   
  
Nodding, he gestured to both of us. "Come with me, please." He turned and walked back to the barn, not looking behind to see if we were following.   
  
Following? Are you kidding? I could hardly contain myself from stepping on the back of his boots, I was so excited to see him. He was the missing gundam pilot - the one that Treize wasn't sure was dead or alive, and here he was, very much alive and walking us right into the transportation center of the estate.   
  
I looked over my shoulder, to make sure that Wufei was following us - which he was, just not moving as quickly as I would have liked. He seemed distracted and distant; and given the impossibility of Trowa and what he represented, I was surprised that Wufei wasn't demanding to know how he had managed to slip onto the property undetected. I turned my attention back to the missing gundam pilot as we stepped into the shadows of the stable, leaving Wufei leaning on the paddock fence, watching a spirited black colt stamp and paw the ground.   
  
Trowa turned to me once we were safely inside the barn. "We can't kill him," he said with no preamble. "He has some sort of failsafe set up with one of Septem's old machines. Something about filling the atmosphere with plague."   
  
I stared at him, my mind spinning, completely dismayed. "What - what are you saying? That he would release a plague on the world if someone tries to assassinate him?"   
  
"Hai," he nodded, moving in between the stalls to claim the large gelding at the far end. Snapping a lead rope on the bay's halter, he clucked softly and led the horse to me, handing me the lead line. "All we could find out was that it's based on the volcanic principle - and that Treize has it set to discharge if he dies." Brushing the flank of the horse, Trowa looked up, his gaze meeting mine, just so insure his words sunk in. "There is no antidote."   
  
"That's - monstrous," I breathed, horrified beyond words that someone would set up a system to eradicate all life after their death.   
  
"It's smart. The military is under his control, it's true - but because it's peacetime, he's not as safe as he once was. People once inclined to fight the war now have other targets to consider; hence, the weapon. It insures his safety. Otherwise, we would have killed him by now." He glanced at me, his green eyes sharp and clear. "Don't tell Wufei. Treize hasn't told him."   
  
"I won't," I said, shaking my head. But gods, I wanted to - because faced with that information, how could he possibly insist that Khushrenada was an innocent man? Innocent people do not plot to kill the rest of the world. "He doesn't need to know. But, listen - there is something you need to know. Khushrenada is planning on taking us away tomorrow, supposedly to an island. Wufei's been there before-"   
  
Trowa nodded briefly. "Yes, we know he is. We also know where the island is. It's difficult to reach, and nearly impossible to get there undetected."   
  
"Well - shouldn't we get out of here before then?"   
  
"I don't see how you could get free," he said as he threw a blanket over the bay's back. "We can't get you out. We were fortunate to get in here ourselves."   
  
" .... no escape ... you can't get us out...?"   
  
Staring, I tried to assimilate what he just told me. My face must have telegraphed my disappointment - a word that does NOT convey the chagrin and discouragement I felt. I could hardly believe it - we had motive and opportunity, as neither one of us wanted to be a prisoner, and we had the horses and the clothing - and we couldn't do anything about it.   
  
"No. But you can still be of use - you can provide us with an insider's line." Somehow, he answered my unspoken thought. Trowa tossed the saddle on the bay's back and tightened the girth, then straightened, reached into his pocket and pulled out the cutest little cellphone I'd ever seen. It was so small that it fit comfortably into the palm of my hand, and so thin that turned sideways, it almost looked like a credit card. "It's satellite. Routes through six different lines before reaching us. Don't use it unless you have to," he warned. "We're going to try to set up direct communication."   
  
I nodded, admiring the phone, wondering where I was going to store it. It wasn't much of a trade, in my opinion - a cellphone for freedom - but at least it was something. "Thank you," I murmured, stuffing the phone in my pocket.   
  
Trowa continued saddling the bay, speaking rapidly, his eyes constantly scanning the barn, on guard. "Treize seems to be enjoying the challenge in peacetime. He will let you do almost anything - as long as you're not caught, even if he knows you're doing it. It's all a game to him."   
  
I blinked, because Trowa had unwittingly hit on one of the issues that made me uneasy. "You're absolutely right - he is treating this like a game. I don't understand him at all," I confessed, watching him check the horse's hooves, picking out small stones. "He doesn't react like a normal person."   
  
"He isn't a normal person," he replied, patting the bay's flank and releasing his hoof. In response, the horse stamped one foot, apparently eager to get on with whatever we were going to do. "He can do almost anything he puts his mind to. He is more dangerous than any man alive, and he knows it. I believe he will grow bored with this, and find another pursuit soon."   
  
Gods ... he'll get bored with - this? "I don't like the sound of that."   
  
"Neither do I," he replied, looking at me with eyes that were much too old. Something clicked inside my head, insisting that Trowa wasn't even of this age; I pushed that feeling away, annoyed that urges as illogical as that were still running around in my mind.   
  
"Here," he said, handing me the reins.   
  
I took them, accepted his leg up and vaulted into the saddle. Settling comfortably as he adjusted my stirrups, I shook my head and frowned. "Trowa ... considering that Wufei and I seem to be one of his 'playthings' now ..." I left the rest unsaid, thinking about what that meant in context - it was a nervous, disquieting feeling.   
  
I shuddered and tried to shuck that feeling away. "Duo contacted me at the house - he asked me to call tonight. I will if I can."   
  
A laconic nod was my response. "Then do so. However - so that you know - I don't believe Treize will let Wufei go, even if he changes the game. I believe he will take Wufei with him."   
  
Normally, I wasn't afraid of information; I always said that it was better to know something than not know. You could prepare for the worst, and you had a better chance of succeeding by understanding your enemy's plans. Trowa's thoughts, though, were enough to depress me - especially since I thought I understood Wufei a little more now.   
  
"I - I think you're right," I agreed, deliberately checking the girth one more time, not looking at him. "And Wufei would not leave, even if given the opportunity. He - Treize - has done something evil to him. I've been trying to reach him, but ..." I trailed off, thinking about that conversation with Wufei in the hallway before we came outside. Hopeless, a little voice inside my head insisted. He's hopeless .. he'll never leave.   
  
Gods, I hate that voice.   
  
"Wufei is living in hypocrisy. He does not know what he believes, or why." Trowa shrugged. "He is intelligent enough to know it, and to question his doubts. That makes him easy prey."   
  
"I know," I sighed. "But ... but we can't just leave him ..."   
  
"Even if you take him away, part of him will be left here anyway."   
  
"I know," I repeated, feeling more depressed by the moment. "When we leave, we'll fight that battle. But - but it doesn't appear that we'll be leaving anytime soon."   
  
The gelding stamped and tossed his head again, shying a little to the right, impatient to leave and stretch his muscles. Trowa looked up at me, a hard, inscrutable expression in his eyes.   
  
"Be careful," he warned. "He loves having you here because of the danger. As long as you are not caught, you can get away with anything - but if you are caught, he will not be easy on you. It means you no longer qualify to play the game. Wufei has not yet been caught - even though he knew about the communications patches - about everything." He looked at me calmly. "You're living with the devil."   
  
I stared back at him - and that strange feeling that had been moving inside me positively resonated when he said that. Involuntarily, I drew my hands back, pulling up the slack in the reins, not even sure how to respond.   
  
Trowa held the reins under the gelding's mouth and led him forward to the wide stable doors. "Wufei's chosen his horse from the pasture. He's taken the black colt - probably because it's dangerous." He squinted up at me, a measuring stare. "His rules are meant to be broken."   
  
I was watching Wufei, a cold feeling in my stomach. "He's going to get killed, in one way or another - "   
  
"He's going to try, but he won't be."   
  
"No," I said, understanding and alarm slowly dawning. "Treize ... he won't permit it." I remembered something Trowa had said before, and stared at him. "Communication patches? ...what, in the house?"   
  
"Hai," he answered, nodding. "And any longer, and he will be suspicious. He already is, of course. He let me know that he knew I wasn't the man he hired." A small smile on his face and a glint in his eye showed his satisfaction. "But I haven't been caught."   
  
"Nor will I be," I responded, drawing the gelding's head around. "Take care, Trowa. And tell Duo that I'll call - tonight, if possible."   
  
"It will be possible," he said, nodding toward the house. "There are men from the phone company in front of the house now. He is daring you to be caught." He moved away from the gelding, giving it a smack on its flank. "Go, now."   
  
My horse leaped forward, trotting into the paddock. I pulled up, taking my bearings, and looked back at the house. Well - I certainly couldn't see anyone from the phone company on the property.   
  
Turning, I watched Wufei at the far side of the paddock on the black colt. He looked striking; he was wearing a traditional white gi with a white outer jacket, and was riding a black horse. No saddle for him ... probably because it was more dangerous that way. It also appeared that he was going to stay in that paddock, as well. Probably right where Treize told him he could ride.   
  
My eyes narrowed as I thought about that. On the other hand, Treize hadn't told me where I could and couldn't ride. I looked over at the barn one more time. Can't get us out of here, hmm, Trowa? Well ... we'll see. Maybe we won't need your help.   
  
I urged the gelding forward, maneuvering him away from the paddock where Wufei was riding toward one of the outer paddocks, next to the forest. The bay needed no encouragement, practically jumping out from under me in his eagerness to run.   
  
That feeling of power - the sensation of flying with the horse as he cantered across the paddock - was exhilarating. It was freedom, pure and simple. I caught a glimpse of Treize on his roan as I rode to the high paddock; he was leaping fences effortlessly, the horse lifting himself well above the obstacle. I could have sworn that the man looked over at me, too, and smiled before guiding his horse to another part of the meadow.   
  
Whatever. I didn't care. I had a fast horse, a long paddock and a forest beyond it - I was going to explore, find a way out of here and take Wufei with me, all before nightfall.   
  
Or so I thought.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I had been riding for about fifteen to twenty minutes, just getting used to the horse and training him to respond to my cues, when I spotted the path. It was obviously little used; in fact, it appeared to be abandoned. Part of the path was actually in the meadow itself, while the rest went off into the forest and ended ... somewhere else.   
  
Somewhere that wasn't around here. Somewhere that could take us off the property, and away.   
  
I looked around, turning in the saddle to look over my shoulder, and saw no one. Not a soul was around me now - no one to know where I went, or what I was doing ...   
  
That's all I needed to know. I immediately set my horse on the path and drummed my heels into his sides. He snorted and took off, bounding away, surefooted and swift.   
  
I leaned over his neck, encouraging him, keeping a firm grip on the reins, and steered my horse into the forest. There were a lot of small, whippy little branches around; fortunately, they were just at the beginning of the path, where quite a bit of overgrowth had crept quietly back and tried to reclaim some ground.   
  
Ignore them. Just keep going.   
  
I set the bay at a fast canter, almost a gallop, seemingly a headlong dash through the trees - and it felt wrong somehow, rather like something was watching us, waiting for us to make that one fatal misstep, one small flaw -   
  
Ridiculous, I told myself. It's your overactive imagination again. You didn't see anything coming in, and it's dense enough away from the path - there's nothing here. But I reined the bay down to a slow, controlled canter, and then down to a fast trot, keeping my gaze fixed on the trees.   
  
The gelding was acting strangely, too, shying and tossing his head every few strides, as if he felt something. He danced over to the left, clearly trying to avoid something on his right.   
  
"Whoa, whoa," I whispered softy to him, "there's nothing there - look, there's nothing there, see, it's just --"   
  
I stopped speaking aloud when a glimpse of what was causing him to shy and start and act nervous made my breath catch in my throat.   
  
It was a wolf ; and not the sleek, glossy kind, either, but one that was skinny and malnourished - and, more frightening than that, one that seemed to have no fear. It growled low in its throat; white flecks of foam dripped from its muzzle, and it took several careful steps toward us.   
  
The gelding was getting harder and harder to control. My hands were sweating inside my gloves. I tried to bring his head around, putting every ounce of knee pressure into directing him away from that animal. He responded sluggishly, finally allowing himself to be turned away from the threat, back the way we came.   
  
I turned to look at the wolf; and at that exact moment, it decided to come after the horse and attack him, its lips curling back to expose long canine teeth, its eyes rolling. Immediately I drove my heels into the gelding's flanks and shouted, "Go!" as loudly as I could - and the gelding whinnied, panicked, and literally jumped down the path, pounding back toward the meadow.   
  
So much for my bid for freedom.   
  
I barely had control over my horse, and was concentrating just enough to keep my seat when the wolf leaped toward the gelding's hindquarters. His claws were extended and his teeth bared, and a horrible, snarling noise roiled after us. It flashed across my mind at that moment that this wolf, along with being starved, was probably also rabid.   
  
Damn, this really was not my day. I shouted again and tried to drive the horse to run faster, faster, heedless of the branches mercilessly whipping us from every side. And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse -   
  
- a shot rang out, an explosion of sound and fury from my left side, one that deafened me and rocked my world.   
  
That was it. The gelding was completely panicked; he reared, screaming, twisted himself in the air and took off toward the meadow. I screamed as well, unable to keep my seat nor my wits about me, and found myself tumbling head over heels in midair, only to slam into the ground hard enough to drive all the air from my lungs.   
  
Gads, that hurt. My entire body hurt like hell. I hit the ground hard enough that it jarred my teeth and I literally saw stars. I lay there, sprawled in the bushes, panting, pain flaring through my backside and into my back, and hoping against hope that the wolf wasn't going to come back and finish me.   
  
Something rustled in the underbrush behind me. Staring up dizzily into the canopy of leaves, I saw Treize trot out from behind a large tree, a hunting rifle slung under one arm.   
  
"Are you all right?" he asked, looking at me.   
  
Oh gods. I was stunned, but not so far gone that I didn't recognize what just happened. Now I was caught - not necessarily in an escape attempt, but close enough, in the exact position Trowa warned me about. Rescued by the very man I was trying to flee. I tried to roll over, and groaned. It hurt even to breathe.   
  
"I ... I think so ..." I tried to focus my eyes on him. He had nudged his horse even and looked at me, unsmiling, for a long moment.   
  
I looked back and inwardly cringed. Something in his eyes frightened me, to the point where I looked away and tried to roll in the opposite direction, hoping to get some purchase on the ground so I could stumble to my feet. Unfortunately, all I got for my efforts was a facefull of bush - a small evergreen bush, to be exact, its tiny needles dropping everywhere.   
  
"Saa, don't do that ... let me see."   
  
Blearily I turned my head. Treize had dismounted and was by my side in a moment. He knelt next to me, slid one arm under my back and supported my head as he started to check for broken bones.   
  
"I should have warned you," he said evenly, feeling down the length of my right leg. "Some of the animals here carry rabies."   
  
"Oh," I murmured, staring up at the trees, wondering how on earth this situation could possibly get worse.   
  
"It's been a terribly dry season," he continued. As he spoke, he unzipped my coat and lifted my shirt gently, then took his hand and pressed on my ribs.   
  
Well, that's how things could get worse. He put his hands right where I had been bandaged before. Right where my ribs had been broken before. Pain lanced through my chest and struck my brain; I gasped before I could stop myself, drawing a raised eyebrow from Treize.   
  
"Nothing seems to be broken - although I think you will be sitting for the rest of the afternoon." He looked at me, a small smile on his lips, his eyes still assessing. "Dr. White would kill me if she found out what despicable care I've been taking of you."   
  
Without another word, he scooped me up from the ground as easily as if I had been a child and carried me over to his horse. I stifled another gasp, but this one wasn't from pain; even though there was nothing sexual in the way he examined me, or even in the way he was carrying me, there still was this tight, electric feeling from him that made things sensual no matter what.   
  
His horse whickered quietly and eyed me with distrust.   
  
"Stay, Prometheus," Treize murmured gently. The roan snorted, but stayed in place as he was told. Treize put me on the front of the saddle and stowed his gun on the side.   
  
I shifted uncomfortably; really, sitting was the last thing I wanted to do, especially sitting on a horse - but it seemed I had no choice.   
  
"Pro - Prometheus?" I stammered, shifting my weight again.   
  
"Hai. I have always liked that story - are you familiar with it?" he asked as he swung himself into the saddle behind me, curling one arm around my waist and pulling me close to his body.   
  
Of course, he did that to make sure that I didn't fall off - but it didn't really matter why he did it, because every nerve along my spine fired simultaneously, letting me know that someone with a huge presence had just pressed himself into my back.   
  
I had trouble finding my voice. "..hai. Isn't he the person who brought fire to humans?" I was pleased that once found, my voice didn't tremble a bit.   
  
"Correct," Treize said, pulling his horse's head in the general direction of the mansion and urging him forward. "And the gods punished him forever." I could feel his chest rumble as he leaned forward and murmured in my ear, "Comfortable?"   
  
"H - hai. I'm ... f -fine ... thank you," I whispered. I was sure my heart was going to pound its way out of my chest, it was beating so fast. All sorts of implications were dancing around in my head, not the least of which was what, exactly, he was going to do once he took me back to the mansion. Prometheus had displeased the gods and had his liver eaten out every day, only to have it grow back whole and new each night. I knew I was in trouble now.   
  
The delicate smell of roses clung to his coat, engulfing me. His arm circled my waist, a firm, tangible reminder of who was really in control. I held onto his arm in lieu of the horse's mane, praying that he wouldn't let me slip off.   
  
We rode in silence back to his land. As we left the forest, I had an excellent view of the house and gardens - and there was a white truck in front of the house. A truck from the telephone company, just as Trowa had predicted. I shivered and stared at it, fervently wishing it would simply disappear, and that the man behind me would, too.   
  
Not a moment later, Treize leaned forward and spoke into my ear, sending move shivers down my spine. Granted, he probably needed to lean closer to me because of the wind - but he also put his soft lips next to my ear and murmured suggestively, "I think we should go inside now. Hmm?"   
  
Oh gods - don't panic. Of all the attacks he could consider using against me, this one had to be the most effective - if for no other reason than my own relative inexperience and my involuntary reactions to him. I squirmed a little in the saddle, but had no luck in dislodging either his arm or his lips. "Hai," I said, staring straight ahead.   
  
I felt him shift his weight behind me, and realized that his attention wasn't simply on me anymore. He reined in Prometheus, slowing his pace, and very obviously looked to the right. I turned as well, simply to see what had claimed his attention so easily, and saw ... Wufei.   
  
And he was glorious to see, too - Wufei, clad in white, in stark contrast to his horse, riding bareback, urging his mount to jump some of the larger fences. He was leaning forward, completely unaware of his audience, stroking the colt's neck and talking to him - that was obvious, as the colt's ears were swiveling back and forth.   
  
"Magnificent," Treize purred, his chest rumbling against my back. I had been admiring Wufei, as well, watching him control the colt with nothing more than his hands, leg pressure and his own will; but all that evaporated when I heard Treize's response.   
  
"That is one of my favorite colts," he continued smoothly, patting Prometheus' neck as if he had been speaking about his horses all along. "This roan sired him. None have ridden him but Wufei, and Wufei had never ridden before he came here." Urging his horse on, lightly touching the roan's flanks, he murmured, "A virginal experience for both of them, ne?"   
  
"Ah," I replied, swallowing, feeling rather stupid at not having a better answer and slightly freaked at his observations. He knew that, too; I could almost feel him smile as we trotted right up to the side door of the mansion.   
  
He dismounted quickly, taking the reins and dropping them in front of his horse. I turned to thank him and to slip out of the saddle, very anxious to drop to my feet and become independent. I was leaning down toward him when he reached up and swept me off the saddle and into his arms again, carrying me into the house.   
  
"What? No, no, Treize, you don't have to-"   
  
He cut me off, smiling at me with cold, assessing eyes. "Nonsense, Ms. Po. You had a nasty fall. I'm certainly not going to take any chances with your health again." I was cradled against his chest, my legs dangling uselessly over the crook of his arm, my head back against his shoulder.   
  
"But I can-"   
  
"- just rest, Ms. Po. We'll talk in a moment."   
  
He carried me effortlessly through the kitchen and down the hallway. Now he was seriously invading any personal space I thought I had; never in my adult life had I ever been handled so much by one person, and it was all I could do NOT to make a scene. I looked up at him, completely spooked, to see a satisfied smirk on his face.   
  
That's when I realized he was taking me to my room.   
  
I actually tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but had no luck. "I ... I think I'll be fine now," I said, feeling more alarmed by the moment the closer we drew to the door of my room. "Really. I - I'm sorry I was such a burden to you."   
  
"Oh, you're quite welcome, Ms. Po." He swept into my bedroom, opening the door with one hand and carrying me sideways through the doorway, his eyes glittering. Before I had time to think about it, Treize strode over and in one swift motion deposited me on the bed, sat down and leaned over me, holding me down by my shoulders, his face inches away from mine.   
  
I couldn't move, and at this point, I could hardly think - all I could do was stare helplessly up at him and feel how completely vulnerable I was. Aside from the fact that he had pinned me to the bed, his gaze was the most powerful, analytical look I'd ever seen. There was no doubt in my mind that I was seeing the real Khushrenada; calm, deadly, and totally in control.   
  
"...and you were no burden," he continued, his gaze boring into mine. "I'm simply glad that wolf was shot before he came any closer to my horses."   
  
Breathing quickly, my eyes widened in response. He ... what?   
  
"Don't worry, Ms. Po. I will take very good care of you." A quick flash of white teeth and a small smile made me tremble in spite of myself. "I have no intention of taking advantage of you, either. You're ... not my type," he finished, completely remorseless.   
  
Now I was staring at him, feeling equal amounts of incredulous relief coupled with mortification and adolescent pique. What ... does he mean, I'm not his type...?   
  
"Do be more careful," he continued, enunciating each word in a slow, even voice. "A compromising position for you now would be ... possibly devastating."   
  
His gaze pinned me to the bed as easily as his hands, slicing my weak defense away and sinking into my psyche. There was no mistaking his meaning. I felt the blood drain away from my face as I looked at him and realized that I was inches away from something that could devour me, should he be so inclined.   
  
He smiled again, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Stay here until you feel better. Dinner will be brought to you. Good evening, Sally." He brushed a few strands of hair away from my cheek, still smiling with that cold, analytical look, keeping one hand on my shoulder; then he rose and casually walked to the door and left, as if it we had just had a pleasant chat between two friends.   
  
Gods.   
  
I lay on the bed and panted, staring at the ceiling for long moments, not even daring to look at the doorway. I had had a narrow escape - but only because he chose to let me go.   
  
It took another five minutes before my hands stopped shaking.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* 


	12. Chapter 11

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
Tapestry - Chapter 11  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
I didn't realize it, but it actually took longer than five minutes for my hands and the rest of my body to stop shaking.  
  
It took me at least that long to recognize I was lying on my bed, fully clothed, wearing boots, an outer jacket and gloves and staring at the ceiling. It took another five minutes for me to recall what else I had in my coat, reach inside the pockets and pull out Duo's phone number and Trowa's cellphone.  
  
Gods ...   
  
I lay on my back, staring numbly at both the phone and the slip of paper in my trembling hands, trying to reconcile what I saw in Treize' eyes with what was now in front of mine. For whatever reason, he didn't search me. He gave me a warning only a moron would ignore or misunderstand ... but he didn't search me. That meant one of two things; either he was totally unaware of some of the subtler manipulations that went on around him - which, really, was ridiculous - or, as I suspected and as Trowa had pointed out, he was leaving me in the game by giving me a 'pass.' Allowing me this mistake, so that I could continue on; but making sure that I realized who was in charge of the game.   
  
Yep. Got that. Crystal clear. The person in charge of this game wasn't me.   
  
I looked at Duo's phone number again. Obviously, the fewer things I carried, the better off I would be - so I memorized his number, swearing to shred the slip to bits at the first opportunity. Pleased that my mind had finally decided to work for me again, I looked at the cellphone and realized I needed to find a place for it, too.   
  
Well ... that shouldn't be too hard, considering I wasn't his type. If that was true, then there were places on me he'd never want to touch.   
  
I stowed the phone.   
  
Sitting up took a little doing and some willpower on my part; my muscles and joints had started to stiffen and ache. Had I simply fallen from the horse, it would have been bad enough, but I had been thrown, and thrown with quite a bit of force. Everything hurt, especially my neck, shoulders and the muscles in my back - not to mention my backside, the place where all my weight hit the ground.   
Rising stiffly from the bed, I walked over to the window and stood there, leaning on the sill. There was a chair next to the window, but frankly, I didn't want to sit. I wanted to think.   
  
Treize must be bored if he's decided to leave me in his game; bored, because I couldn't think of another reason why he would leave me here after my abortive attempt at freedom. I certainly wouldn't have, had I been in his position. And if he's bored, then logically he's either going to up the ante or change the game soon, meaning that I'll have to figure out whatever it is that he's doing. Feh, feh, feh.   
  
Glancing outside, I saw the general walking over to the barn, headed straight for Wufei. I watched in voyeuristic fascination, unable to tear my gaze away. He strode across the ground, a predator stalking its prey ... and his obvious prey was Wufei.   
  
Wufei was brushing the colt down, his face set in its customary scowl, not even looking at him. Treize stayed well out of Wufei's 'personal space' range most of the time; he only moved close to him once, and that was to pet the yearling's neck, suddenly getting as close to Wufei as he possibly could without touching him.   
  
And Wufei's reaction? Certainly nothing like mine - I could see that. Wufei turned his head and looked at Treize, scowled, and continued brushing the horse, unperturbed. Sudden insight flashed across my mind, and I was glad I was clutching the windowsill. That reaction - or rather, nonreaction - was damning Wufei to Treize's undivided attention. The more resistant he was toward Treize's advances, the higher the stakes of the game; meaning that Treize was going to do - what? Play until Wufei bends, or breaks?   
  
My answer came almost immediately as I watched the pair. Treize was at the colt's head, holding him still, watching; Wufei had finished using the brush, had tossed it on the ground and was using a cloth to wipe the colt's legs and fetlocks. Apparently deciding that he needed to do a little more currying, Wufei moved to pick up the brush - and Treize was right there, the brush in hand, moving so quickly I was hard pressed to follow him. Both men were bent over at the waist, staring into each other's eyes; Treize had moved to within bare inches of Wufei's lips. Without warning, Wufei leaped back, as if bitten - and I could see Treize laughing as he straightened, taking the brush to the black's flank. Confusion was written plainly across Wufei's face as he watched Treize attend to the colt, as if he honestly didn't know what had just happened.   
  
Treize was aware I was spying, I was sure of it. Even though he had his back to the house, he knew I was watching them; and I couldn't say why, except that I had this strange, shivery feeling moving down my spine. He finished brushing the colt, gave the animal a final pat and handed the lead to one of the stablehands. I squinted, trying to see if he gave it to Trowa, but I couldn't make out the other man's features.   
  
Treize turned away from the stables and walked toward the mansion, the fading sunlight turning his hair bronze. Wufei stared for a moment then followed him to the back entrance, staying on that same path.   
  
As soon as I saw Treize turn, I backed away from the window, unwilling to be caught staring. I still didn't want to sit down. Taking a long, hot shower would have been a good idea; allowing the steaming water to pound into my aching muscles would have relieved a lot of tension and released some of pain I was carrying with me. I wouldn't have been surprised to see huge bruises spreading out across my hip or my backside. It certainly felt as though something was going to be there, for all the throbbing that moved through my lower body.   
  
The problem was, though, that I didn't want to miss seeing Wufei when he came upstairs. If I had the opportunity to speak and visit with him, I certainly didn't want that to slip out of my hands. There was too much at stake. Hopefully, Treize wouldn't follow him to his room and we would have some time alone.   
  
  *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Treize said you fell." Wufei peered at me, his hair in short wisps around his face, eyes dark and intense. "You look all right." I could almost hear 'you had better BE all right' in his tone; it was in his eyes as he regarded me from the opposite side of the bed.   
  
We were in his room; as soon as I heard him walk through the hallway, I left my room for his, figuring he would be more willing to talk in his own surroundings. "I'm all right, Wufei. I did take a fall -but I landed on my - ah - 'dignity.' No broken bones, anyway." I gave a little rueful shrug in his direction as I carefully sat down in the chair by the window, wincing. "I'll be fine."   
  
"Good." He continued to eye me for a few moments; I wasn't sure, but I thought he looked vaguely amused as he watched me lower myself into the chair. I felt a small twinge of annoyance at that; well, it hurt to sit - what else was I supposed to do?   
  
He turned away and looked at himself in the vanity mirror, pulling the band from his hair and shaking his head, then tossed the band on the dresser and stared where it had landed on the wood, distracted. Wufei was a beautiful young man, I realized with a start. With his hair down, he looked like a painting from another time.   
  
I shuddered; my instincts weren't allowing me to ignore them, and I certainly didn't appreciate it. Pulling myself together, I glanced at him, my face composed into a calm, unflappable mask, and said, "Wufei, you looked wonderful out there. I had no idea you knew how to ride."   
  
He shrugged. "I never knew horses were so spirited until three weeks ago. I rather like them - and I think they like me, too."   
  
"They certainly seem to - especially that black colt you were riding. He really seemed to take to you."   
  
Wufei hadn't lost his distracted air. He nodded and looked down at his dresser, bewildered. " ... yes. He seemed to."   
  
I frowned. "What's wrong? Have you misplaced something?" It looked as though he was trying, with very little success, to recall where he left his hairbrush.   
  
"...no..." Wufei wasn't looking at me. In fact, it didn't look like Wufei was really looking at anything at all. "I ... I just don't understand him," he finished softly, shaking his head.  
  
I was silent for a moment - even though I was expecting him to say something like this, I still wasn' t prepared for it. "What happened?" I asked. "What did he say to you?"   
  
"Nothing that made sense," he replied, an edge to his voice. "Why does he say those things? He can be perfectly reasonable, and then come out with the most nonsensical things - "   
  
"- such as?" I prompted with a sympathetic nod, watching him. His body was as expressive, if not more so, than his face - and now he was flushing and shifting in embarrassment, as if he knew he should be embarrassed, but wasn't quite sure why.   
  
"Like now. Outside ..." He trailed off, scowling.   
  
I nodded, trying to encourage him. "Yes, Wufei - please, go on. I'm listening."   
  
"I was caring for the horse. Just doing what I do every day. And we were discussing Occam's Razor." He glanced at me. "You know Occam's Razor?"   
  
"Yes, I do," I said with a small smile. "It's the principle that when you're presented with multiple solutions to a problem, the simplest one is usually correct."   
  
"Right," he murmured, looking down again. "Well, we had just discussed that, when suddenly he leaned right into my face - took the brush from the ground so quickly I couldn't follow it, and said, 'Wufei ... you have wonderful hands.'" Wufei looked back at me, utterly lost. "What did that have to do with anything?"   
  
Blinking, I stared back at him. "He said .. what?"   
  
He sighed and rubbed his face. "He said - 'you have wonderful hands.' None of this makes any sense at all." He scowled and shook his head. "I'd better get ready for dinner. Maybe it's a debate technique...." He continued to mutter to himself as he walked toward his bathroom looking at his hands, inspecting them and shaking his head slightly again. "I just ... don't ... understand him ..."   
  
I finally realized what he had said. "...dressing for dinner? You're going to eat with Treize and his guests?"   
  
"I'm his showpiece, remember? His proof of the end of the war. A gundam pilot on a leash." He looked down, bitter lines drawn at the sides of his mouth, inspecting his hands again. He ran the fingers of his left hand over the fingers of his right, looking utterly confused.   
  
I found my voice. "Do you have to do anything at these affairs except sit there -" and look pretty - but I didn't say that aloud.   
  
"No. They ask me questions, and I'm expected to be polite. He ... disapproves if I am not."   
  
"Oh - I see." I did see, too; for some reason, Treize's disapproval meant something to Wufei. It meant enough that he looked slightly uncomfortable and self conscious after making that small admission. "What kind of questions do they ask you? Who are 'they'?"   
  
"Mostly generals. Politicians." He snorted slightly, his eyes narrowed in contempt. "Sometimes they ask mocking questions - am I 'happy' here; am I being 'taken care of;' idiocy like that. Sometimes they are serious - what am I doing to further my education; do I plan to atone for my ... sins."   
  
"That's odious," I huffed, eyeing him.   
  
Sighing, he leaned against the dresser. "They see me as some sort of criminal given a second chance I do not deserve, and they view Treize as my guardian angel. Treize, they believe, is much too kind for his own good. I have been warned more times than I can count not to betray his trust."   
  
"That's exactly what Dr. White said to me," I said, incredulous. "She said something about my being given a 'second chance,' and how I shouldn't squander it. How Treize was much too trusting for his own good."   
  
Wufei nodded. "Hai. It's part of the psychological warfare, but it's not only to beat us down. It's also to let us know just how the world will view us if we get away; they'd see us as double traitors."   
  
Wearily, I looked at him and blinked. He certainly wasn't stupid; he was quite aware of what was going on, at least in that respect. He was simply innocent; and really, at this stage of his life, with everything he had been through, that innocence he carried was a quite a feat. "I'm sure you're right," I said, my shoulders slumping a little. "But that's an awful lot of effort for two insignificant people - "   
  
"Insignificant?" Wufei looked at me, his gaze sparkling and angry. "Hardly. We nearly won the world from him. We are not insignificant. Given sufficient opportunity, we could do it again - correct our mistakes and win. We are dangerous to him."   
  
He had no idea how his words encouraged me; I straightened my back, hope flaring. "Wufei," I said slowly, "would you be willing to do that? To risk that again?"   
  
For a moment, his eyes shone with burning resolution; but he faltered, appearing to shrink into himself. "....... I - would," he said finally, staring down at the floor, ".... but ...."   
  
"You are willing," I said gently, interrupting him. "That is all I could ask."   
  
"I am bound here, Sally. Given that ... yes, I am still willing."   
  
"Physically - yes, you are bound here," I agreed, thinking about his promise and consigning Treize to every hell imaginable for realizing the invisible chain that would keep Wufei by his side.   
  
"There are things that I could do - things that I plan to do -" He stopped, bewildered. "Once I figure out ... what I am to do."   
  
At least he knew there were things about this situation he did NOT understand. "You have to be extremely careful in what you do, Wufei. I will help you in every way possible, but you must be careful."   
  
"You keep saying that. I AM careful, Sally." He stared back, a minor challenging look. "What am I doing that is not careful?"   
  
"He is an implacable enemy, Wufei," I started, feeling my way along. "We are dancing attendance on him right now. Once we decide to - stop - there will be no mercy shown to either one of us. Before that time, we must be terribly careful not to show our hand."   
  
Frowning slightly, Wufei sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me. "What are you saying?"   
  
Gads - I needed to state everything completely, didn't I? I looked away as color moved from my neck into my cheeks. "I fell from my horse today, Wufei, because a wolf spooked it."   
  
He nodded. "Yes, that is what Treize said."   
  
"That half-starved wolf attacked me."   
  
"Rabies," Wufei said with a knowledgeable nod. "He said it was probably rabid. He assured me you were all right ..." Now he looked mildly concerned as he stared at me.   
  
"I didn't see it closely - but it had no fear of me. And then, suddenly, it leaped at the horse - and at the same time, there was a gunshot that sounded very close to me. My horse threw me, and bolted." I winced, feeling myself hit   
the ground yet again.   
  
Wufei, though, frowned at me; I knew he had heard a version of this, and it looked as though he couldn't figure out where I was going with it.   
  
"I - I wasn't supposed to be in the woods, Wufei. Treize never expressly forbade me to be there, but - I wasn't supposed to be there. The path I was following - it had another, fainter path next to it that led a different direction - OUT of the woods, to somewhere else. I was saved; but it was a warning, too."   
  
"A ... warning?" he wondered, puzzled, tilting his head at me.   
  
"Oh, yes - there's no question in my mind that it was a 'if you step out of line again, it'll be much worse for you' type of warning. He's said as much to me before."   
  
Blinking slowly, Wufei shook his head. "Why?"   
  
Ah, now he's interested. "Well ... if I believe what you said before, Wufei - it would be because I was dangerous. And should I have the opportunity to do something - like muster troops again - I could hurt him."   
  
"Of course you could," he nodded. This was something he could understand. His bewilderment vanished, replaced with complete agreement. He sincerely believed that if I was free, I would raise an army against Treize and challenge him again.   
  
I looked down into my lap. "He - he scares me to death, Wufei," I said quietly. "I'm surprised that I'm not dead right now."   
  
It took a moment, but what I said did finally did penetrate Wufei's mind. Blinking again, he looked back at me, his eyes widening in shock. "What ...? How do you know? Did he threaten you? What are you saying?"   
  
Apparently, Treize hadn't done anything like that to Wufei - no threats, subtle or overt - or else he wouldn't be reacting this way. Wufei was probably not even close to that "line" of Treize's, whatever that was. "Oh, no ... he didn't threaten me in so many words. But the intent was there. He would never be so crass as to threaten me directly." I gave him a wry shrug. "He would find a gentlemanly, genteel way to do it."   
  
"But then ... what did he do?"   
  
"What's his horse's name?" I asked. "You know ... the big roan he was riding today."   
  
"Prometheus," he replied, giving me a weird, what-are-you-talking-about look.   
"Do you know the story of Prometheus?"   
  
"Of course. It is one of the oldest Greek myths, and supposedly how man acquired fire. The gods were angered, and Prometheus was punished - tied to a mountain upside down. Legend says that an eagle comes every day to rip out his liver and eat it, while each night the liver grows back, whole."   
  
I nodded. "Have you ever thought of yourself in Prometheus' position, Wufei?"   
  
"No," Wufei answered, completely mystified. "I have yet to take anything from the gods." He looked down, slumping just a little. "I am a shame to the gods."   
  
He was in no shape to draw conclusions from obscure stories; I needed to be plain and forthright. "Wufei," I said, my voice gentle, "think a moment. Should I escape - what would I do, immediately? I would bring 'fire' - well, freedom - to the common man, ne? And from whom would I acquire this 'fire' - this freedom? I would be taking power from those who have it now, and giving it to those who are disenfranchised. Who holds all the power now, Wufei? Who holds the power today?"   
  
He looked into my eyes, silent for a moment. "Treize."   
  
"Correct."   
  
"He will not hurt you," he said evenly.   
  
"Only if I obey the rules, Wufei," I said with a small smile. I knew where I stood - I could still see Treize's eyes, his gaze boring into mine. Overwhelmed was too mild a word to describe what was still vibrating along my nerves.   
  
"No, Sally - you don't understand. He gave me his word. He won't break that. He won't harm you."   
  
How terribly strange - Wufei really did believe that. He really, truly believed that Treize wouldn't harm me. "Oh, come on, Wufei," I chided. "He'll make sure I don't step out of line, should I try to change or flaunt his rules again. He wouldn't have to harm me personally - there are PLENTY of natural disasters waiting to happen to me. Such as wolves...." I stopped speaking and looked at him.   
  
Wufei looked back, not intimidated at all. "Yes. From which he saved you," he pointed out.   
  
"This time," I rejoined immediately. "This time, Wufei. It was a warning."   
He was silent for a moment. "Treize has not dealt treacherously with me, Sally. He has kept his word."   
  
"Well - I haven't been invited to dinner, either, you know. I was told to stay in my room until I 'felt better,' and that dinner would be brought to me tonight. Why do you think that was?"   
  
"I don't know," he said, his brow creased in thought. "Perhaps he doesn't trust you."   
  
"Perhaps. And perhaps this is his way of sending that message to me - and to you. A warning, Wufei."   
  
Wufei looked disturbed at the thought. "I will speak to him about it. Just ask him - what he means to do with you."   
  
Gods - he was going to ask him about me? "No, no, Wufei," I said, rising painfully out of the chair. I shuffled over to his bed and sat down on the end. "Don't do that. I don't think that's a good idea. In fact - I would rather that we kept this between us. He is our 'host,' but I don't believe he has my welfare at heart, and I'd rather not give him any indication of what I'm thinking."   
  
"Sally, he has never so much as lied to me once - not once." His eyes were bright and insistent. "Whatever else he is, he keeps his word."   
  
This was going to be incredibly difficult. "Wufei," I replied, struggling with just how to phrase this, "there are all different ways a person can NOT tell you something -"   
  
"Why would he threaten you and not me?" Wufei sighed and rubbed his forehead, trying to erase his confusion and bewilderment. "That makes no sense. He gets me to ... promise him things. That's it."   
  
"I've never promised him a thing, Wufei. At least, not that I remember."   
".....then - he must not trust you."   
  
I shrugged. "Probably not. But again, he's not asked me to promise anything, either." Plus, I knew he had the good sense to understand I'd find a way around whatever I promised, or else would ignore it completely. Promises made under duress were no promises at all, as far as I was concerned. And if I had to promise my enemy something ... well, really. I did what I had to, whatever was expedient. All's fair as far as I was concerned, because this was war.   
  
Wufei stared at me, concerned. "He's always asked me to promise him something, and has never threatened me. He won't harm you, Sally. I will ensure that."   
I tilted my head and regarded him again, feeling strangely humbled at his reaction. Here we were, both prisoners of the most powerful man on Earth - and Wufei, younger than me by at least ten years, was essentially saying that he was going to protect me. "You honor me, Wufei. I - I have always had to fend for myself. It is a strange feeling to have someone look out for your welfare."   
  
He flushed, his face suffused with color. "....it's nothing. Only what should be done for a woman."   
  
I smiled broadly; oh, so that's why. "Ah. We must talk about that sometime. Many people have different ideas on that very topic." I neglected to add that usually I could take care of myself rather well.   
  
"It is enough to keep you from dying," he snorted softly.   
  
"Yes, I believe it is. And ... I've kept you from your shower." I gestured toward his bathroom. "You'll need to change for dinner soon."   
  
Wufei nodded and bent to open a drawer in his dresser, pulling out several pieces of dark, silky clothing. I watched - and then remembered what else was going to happen to us. "We're supposed to leave tomorrow - to go to an island. Away from everything." I turned toward the windows, feeling apprehensive. "I don't want to leave."   
  
"It will be a relief, in a way. Less to worry about."   
  
"How so?" I asked, turning to frown at him.   
  
"Fewer people to be injured, should something - large - happen," he said evenly. He was trying his best to keep his feelings hidden, but I could see the flash of interest, of terrible purpose in his eyes.   
  
"Ah. Let's hope that ... doesn't happen." I felt the blood drain from my face as I recalled Trowa's words to me. We can't kill him ... it will release pathogens into the atmosphere ...   
  
Sighing, Wufei picked up his clothes and walked toward the bathroom. "I don't know why he doesn't simply do away with me," he murmured, stopping at the door and looking back at me. "I ... I am weak. I don't understand him at all. It's like I amuse him and fascinate him - but that's not enough. He has to - to mold me, or something ..." He blinked, showing weariness older than his years, looking for an answer of sorts.   
  
He wanted to know - gods, he wanted to know what Treize was doing, why he was playing with him - and I couldn't tell him outright. But I had to find a way to warn him, to at least let him know something about his predicament.   
  
"Wufei, have you ever had pets?"   
  
"No." Wufei continued to look at me, now dubious.  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked, frowning. "No dogs, or cats, or birds ... or anything?"   
"Not ... technically, no," he answered. "There were plenty of wild animals that became my friends - animals usually like me."   
  
"Okay," I said, encouraged. "Now - when they like you - will they do what you ask them to?"   
  
"Sometimes. They're wild," he said with a shrug.   
  
"What did you do when they didn't do what you asked them to do? Did you try to find another way to ... er .. 'ask' them to perform? or just let them be?"   
  
"Nothing," Wufei said. "If I did, they wouldn't come back. Birds, especially, were more submissive than the rest."   
  
"So - the birds would return to you if you gave them complete freedom, but also offered them something else in return, wouldn't they?"   
  
"Well - yes," he responded, puzzled. "I usually pet them - fed them   
occasionally. It's how I became close to them in the first place.   
  
I nodded. "Of course. That is the way to train animals to trust you - when you do that, they will return to you again and again."   
  
"Hai," he agreed, still dubious.   
  
"Now," I said, taking a deep breath and looking steadily at Wufei, "isn't Treize offering you something that's of value to you? Such as ... his death?"   
  
"That's not the same!"   
  
"Isn't it? Why not?" I pressed.   
  
"Because I am no animal," he snapped. "I do not exist on instinct."   
  
"True enough," I nodded. "You are human. However, there's enough evidence to show that humans can be trained in the same manner as that which you just described." I waved my hand dismissively. "Just look at the military."   
  
"Idiots," Wufei snorted.   
  
"Look at any organization with any type of hierarchy," I responded. "They offer just enough incentive to keep their subordinates coming back again and again ... ostensibly, of their own free will."   
  
"I am no bird," he proclaimed, now more perturbed.   
  
"No, you are not. But there is a pattern to what I've seen - I believe."   
  
"What pattern?" he asked, staring right at me, sounding slightly defensive.   
  
And now I had to work cautiously, because in spite of appearances, Wufei's ego was delicate and fragile. His arrogance and hauteur masked his true self, I knew. "Well - the way Treize addresses you, at times, feels almost - paternal; and there are other times when that feeling is completely absent."   
  
He didn't say anything, but did look oddly guilty and unsure.   
  
"Think about it," I urged. "You are a dangerous gundam pilot, captured in the war - and he's treating you as if you were eight years old. You are NOT eight years old."   
  
"He's not treating me that way," he protested, frowning.   
  
"Then why do you need to ask permission to leave his presence all the time?"   
"Because I am his prisoner, not a guest, in spite of allowances - and it is good manners. He says." Wufei rubbed his hand across his face again. "To do otherwise is ... rude. He seems to care about rudeness. It lowers his estimation of people."   
  
And there it was again - for some reason, Wufei cared what Treize thought about his actions. So very odd.   
  
"He's your jailer, Wufei. Why do you care what he thinks?"   
  
Either he deliberately ignored my question or he wasn't sure what I had asked. Continuing along his own peculiar train of thought, he murmured, "Except for some strange little quirks...... he has not treated me as he ought. I have not seen the inside of a prison in weeks; I have never been interrogated. He has treated me with - respect. I am not worthy of it, though."   
  
That caught me off guard. "You're not worthy of respect? What do you mean?"   
  
He refused to meet my gaze. "I told you. I am a shame to my ancestors. He knows this. He - he has gotten enough information out of me, and he - he seems to know everything else, whether I say it or not."   
  
I almost groaned aloud. So - Wufei was willing to listen to Treize, and cared about what he thought, because Treize treated him with respect - and respect was the last thing that Wufei believed he deserved. The amount of psychological manipulation that man was doing to Wufei was absolutely incredible - Treize had him wrapped and tied so nicely that I couldn't even find the knot, much less try to unravel it.   
  
Frustrated, I rose off the bed. "Wufei - listen. Everyone deserves respect-"   
  
- when I was interrupted by a shrill, high pitched ringing coming from my room.   
  
Uncomprehending, I stared at Wufei for a moment, then turned in the direction of the noise. "Is - is that...." I stopped speaking, walked over to the door and discreetly peered into my room, blinking. I recognized what it was, of course; but that sound should not have been coming from my room.   
  
There was a telephone ringing in my room. But - I didn't have a telephone.   
  
"He did it," I heard Wufei murmur. "He did install the phone. He wouldn't do that for me. He left me a computer, though."   
  
Not only that, the phone - which was on the nightstand, right by my bed - kept ON ringing, becoming more insistent with every passing moment. I walked right over to the nightstand, picked up the handset and answered it. "He - hello?"   
  
"Ah, wonderful! I'm so glad this works," Treize responded, sounding delighted. "Would you like your telephone number now, Ms. Po?"   
  
A strange feeling of unreality crept around my mind; I blinked and shook my head, still not believing what was happening. "Um .. yes, all right. A moment, please, while I find a pen and paper..." Cradling the phone between my head and shoulder, I dipped down into the top nightstand drawer and found, of all things - paper, pencils and pens. I would have sworn that they weren't there this morning, when I left; I normally did a very thorough reconnaissance each time I left my room, and I didn't recall anything in that drawer.   
  
"Ah ... please, go ahead. I'm ready." Still a little shocked, I obediently wrote down the number, then realized I hadn't said anything about the phone itself. "Oh. And - thank you, Treize, for the phone. This was quite - unexpected."   
  
"Saaa, call it a test, ne?" He added, lightly, "Don't make me regret it."   
  
My gaze flashed up from the paper to see Wufei leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed, mouth drawn in a slightly smug expression. "Oh, no, Treize .. I - I won't..."   
  
"Now, of course, you'll have a different number later on - unless I am able to transfer it. We shall have to see."   
  
Sweat started to bead on my brow. "Ah .. yes, yes, of course." Gads, this was nerve-wracking. He gave me a phone? After I tried to escape? What was wrong with that man? If anything, I should be chained to a wall somewhere under armed guard, not .. here.   
  
And Treize sounded so incredibly cheery. "Don't forget to remind Wufei of dinner, please. I have selected an outfit for him that, hopefully, will make us both happy. Saaa, he does SO hate bright colors."   
  
I stared at Wufei during that entire exchange, consternation in my look. "No ... no, Treize. I will remember to tell him."   
  
"Thank you very much, Ms. Po. Now, if you require anything tonight in the way of entertainment - books and such - simply let me know. The television is in the library, as you know, and there are several good sound systems in other rooms should you wish to listen to music."   
  
"Ah ... thank you," I said quickly. "I still have the book you loaned me this morning. I believe I'll simply read and go to bed early. I'm - rather tired."   
  
"Of course, of course," he replied, solicitous. "This has been a trying day for you - your first full day awake since you were so grievously injured. I'm not surprised you're tired. Goodnight, my dear, if I do not see you before you retire." And I heard him say, as if to himself, "Saa ... Dr. White would simply kill me ..."   
  
He hung up. I was left staring at the receiver in my hand, realizing that he had been in complete control of the conversation from beginning to end.   
  
"Well?"   
Startled, I looked up to see Wufei watching me, his eyebrows raised.   
  
"...well...?" I echoed weakly, still eyeing the phone. "I don't understand this at all. It doesn't make sense. Why would he do this?"   
  
Wufei said nothing, but raised his eyebrows a fraction higher and waited for me to say something.   
  
"I - I can't use this, anyway," I stammered, still taken aback, looking at the phone, then over at Wufei. "Well, really - who would I call?"   
  
He looked at me for a beat, then started to laugh a little. "Eh - I have no idea," he said, chuckling. "If you have family, perhaps you should call them."   
Shrugging, he continued, "I have never had any."   
  
There was something I hadn't considered; I could call my family, tell them I was alive and well, and –   
  
I forced myself back to reality. What kind of fool are you, Sally Po, that you would even think to put your last remaining family members in danger? Do you really want him knowing where your aunt lives, or your cousin? Thank the gods the Pos were a small, insignificant clan in Beijing; otherwise ...   
  
"No," I said, feeling the blood drain from my face as I thought about my aunt and cousin. They were safely anonymous now; there was no way in the world that I was going to change that. "I ... no. I would be placing them in harm's way. I have very few people left, at any rate. My parents died in an accident after I graduated from medical school, and our family was very small."   
  
"At least you have some. My parents died when I was an infant. My grandmother lived, but she was invalid. Barely cognizant - very, very, old."   
  
"Then who took care of your needs, Wufei?" I asked, surprised.   
  
"I was raised by elder Lon and Master O," he replied. "They taught me to take care of my own needs. I was perfectly capable."   
  
"Master O..." I blinked and stared at him. "Master O - didn't he build your gundam?"   
  
He nodded. "He had chosen our colony on which to hide, and built Shenlon."   
  
"But I don't understand - he helped raise you? He was an outsider, a foreigner -"   
  
"He was Chinese," Wufei shrugged, "with true respect for our lives, our culture. He sought us because we were warriors unparalleled. It was a chance at revenge - at justice."   
  
Treize's words came back to me - and I realized the general had told me nothing but the truth. Wufei's people had been warriors on Earth, and were sought in space for that very talent. They must have been formidable enemies, indeed. "He wanted - justice - for your people?"   
  
Wufei continued with his story, again not answering my question. "He tested us. I, of all that he tested, proved to be the most proficient physically and mentally - so he trained me to be his pilot. He wanted justice for all people,   
and he knew we had been insulted terribly."   
  
"How old were you, Wufei, when you were chosen to be a pilot?"   
  
He tilted his head to the side as he thought. By this time, we had walked back into his room; I sank down in the comfortable chair in front of the window, and gestured for him to do the same in the chair across from me. He did, still thinking.   
  
"Nine," he finally said. "I was nine when I was chosen."   
  
I stared at him, nonplused. This boy had no childhood, I realized. "Nine, Wufei? Your body wasn't fully developed at all." He wasn't quite finished growing now, I knew, but he was certainly closer, and able to handle the physical demands of a gundam suit as opposed to a nine year old boy.   
  
"It was developed enough for him to see what he wished to see. I could defeat any elder who fought me." Wufei gave a tiny shrug of his shoulders; this wasn't news to him, it was old news. He was so casual about abilities which, in any other culture, would have marked him as an unstoppable force. Here, though, he spoke about them as if they were nothing special - just something he needed to do, because he had been asked to do it.   
  
"And your mind ..." I left the rest of that sentence unfinished.   
  
"Hai," he replied, nodding a little. "I preferred reading to fighting, anyway."   
  
"You - you don't like fighting? It's not enjoyable to you?" Another little piece clicked in place; I realized, once again, that Treize had told me the truth about Wufei.   
  
"No, it's not. It seems useless to me." He paused for a moment. "I ... "   
I looked over at him when he didn't continue. He was definitely hesitating now, looking at the arms of the chair. Without warning, he sighed and raised his head, and from his look, it appeared as though he decided to tell me something important about himself.   
  
"I have never believed in justice," he confessed. "I read a lot about it. We had some books - philosophy books - which I studied. There seemed to be no true standard for justice, no objective definition or reason. The only reason I allowed Master O to prep me for piloting his gundam was that the leaders ordered it. I obey the elders - but I had no faith in his machines."   
  
"You do not believe in justice," I said slowly, "but you believe in your society and elders enough that you will do whatever they say." And that ingrained obedience to authority figures is a huge problem. Gads, if he actually sees Treize as an authority figure to be obeyed ...   
  
Feh. Just ... feh.   
  
"Correct," he nodded. "My wife, on the other hand, was a fool." He meant to say that, too; he stared right at me as he said it, his expression very tight and closed.   
  
"Why - why do you say that?"   
  
"She believed in justice, although she could not define it to me. She was disgusted with me and my ways. I did not have to train to defeat her; and she had no answers for my challenges." He repeated himself, but his voice was not as strong this time. "She ... was a fool."   
  
"What do you mean, you didn't have to train to defeat her? You fought your wife - physically? Why?"   
  
"Because she challenged me," he shrugged. "She stated - and believed - that if she could defeat me, then her justice was proven. She believed that justice was 'the way of our people' - standing up for the rights of others, even at great personal risk - yet she could not define nor defend it." He gave another slight shrug. "I won. She was foolish and stubborn."   
  
I stared at Wufei. "How - how old were you when you were married?" Because he was obviously a teenager himself, not past the age of fifteen, and that would mean that his wife ...   
  
"We were wed just before I turned fourteen. She was the same age - old enough to bear children."   
  
......gods. Children. "Wufei - did you have any children with your wife?"   
  
"No, she did not conceive. We - we only consummated once." He actually looked a little guilty as he said that, as if he knew he should have done more.   
  
I, on the other hand, was sitting across from him, trying to make sure that my mouth didn't hang open in complete and utter amazement. Here was Wufei, someone who didn't know me that well, unraveling his life right in front of me. It was unsettling in one way, but flattering in another. He trusted me enough to tell me something personal about himself.  
  
"At least you had some time with her," I said gently.   
  
"The elders allowed it, I suppose, because I was being trained for the gundam. We spent as little time as possible in one another's company, which they also allowed. Otherwise, I would have been dishonored yet again. Fortunately, though, I was not expected to produce children right away." He looked greatly relieved as he said, "I would not have wanted to repeat that."   
  
"Repeat...." I echoed, a little puzzled. "Repeat what?"   
  
Now he appeared to be embarrassed; but because the question was asked, or because he felt he needed to respond to me, he continued. "I ... was not ... really being a husband. I didn't even give her children. I didn't have anything to do with her at all. After the first night, we barely spoke, except when we fought. And she always lost."   
  
I nodded a little, staying as serious as he. "Wufei - how many relationships had you had with women prior to your wife's?"   
  
"None. My wife ... was the first." He was doing an admirable job of maintaining eye contact with me, given the subject. "Why?"   
  
"Well ... because," I replied slowly. "Relationships take time to mature -"   
  
"I'll tell you the same thing I told Treize," he interrupted, intense.   
  
I stopped. "What was that?"   
  
"That it seemed to be a lot of work for a few seconds of pleasure and a large mess, and I didn't see the point. Neither did she. End of story." Wufei was now as red as some of the shirts in his drawer.   
  
I took a deep breath, not believing what he had told me. He cut me off again, a little defensive. "He laughed at me. Don't you."   
  
Embarrassment disappeared in an instant when I heard Treize had laughed at Wufei. "Of course not, Wufei," I said, angry at the general for being so incredibly insensitive. "We all have different experiences and see things differently."   
  
"...it isn't funny at all," he snapped.   
  
"Wufei. I would not ridicule you," I soothed. "Your experiences are as valid as anyone else's."   
  
He nodded, somewhat mollified.   
  
"But I will say this, at least, as a doctor, and you can take it for what it's worth. As people mature, the find that their attitudes toward many different things change -"   
  
"But it hurt her," he blurted out, his face turning a brighter shade of red.   
  
"Well, yes," I said with a small smile, "... it would, if it was her first time, too. Also - it's downright difficult to have two people 'get it right' when it's the first time for both of them." Shrugging, I said, "That's why some cultures try to ensure that the couple understands what each person will be doing long before they actually DO it."   
  
"Well," Wufei said, watching me as if he still expected me to laugh, "it - it wasn't very interesting."   
  
"As I said - give yourself time. It .. eh ... 'becomes' interesting. Sex is a part of life, as surely as breathing, sleeping and eating."   
  
I felt odd - not only did I feel like the least qualified person to tell him this, but from the way he spoke to me, it appeared that he saw no difference in significance between telling me this information and telling Treize. That was disturbing.   
  
"Thank you for sharing this with me, Wufei," I murmured, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. "You said you told Treize all of this ... when? Was it recently? Here?"   
  
"No. It was on the island, when I was first captured." He thought for a moment. "At breakfast. I forget which day, but it was within the first week."   
  
Well, there it was. No wonder he kept Wufei and threw the rest back. Who else would tell such a compelling, poignant story? Duo? Hardly. "Ah ... on the island..."   
  
Nodding, Wufei responded, "..yes. I told you how he treated me. Not as a prisoner, but ..." He lapsed into silence for a moment, then continued, "..but - he'd already insisted I move out of the jail cell."   
  
"Go on," I encouraged.   
  
"I'm not sure what else there is to say," he said, looking down. "I - I just don't understand him."   
  
Oh, I was tired - I was bone tired, and this information, on top of my weariness, left me feeling exhausted. "Neither do I, Wufei. Not entirely, anyway."   
  
He sighed again, and rose from his chair. "I have to get ready for dinner. I have to go on stage again."   
  
I was sympathetic. "It's only for a few hours, and those people will be gone."   
  
Wufei wasn't listening to me, though - he was listening to his own internal voice. "Something ... feels so WRONG - somehow. But I don't know what, or how it's wrong."   
  
He disappeared through the door into his bathroom. I took the opportunity to go back to my own room, rising stiffly from my chair and shuffling across the room to the door. I decided I would try and catch up with him after his dinner. I certainly wasn't going anywhere soon.   
  
I walked into my room and immediately walked over to the chair in front of the window. Grateful, I sank down and leaned back, shifted my weight to my opposite hip, and thought about what I had seen and heard and experienced today.   
  
Gads. So much was happening here.   
  
I turned and stared at the telephone on my nightstand. He knew what I was doing, and he STILL gave me the phone. Tapped, of course, but he still gave me the phone. Almost as if he knew so much that being "caught" meant something much more direct and obvious than what had happened to date.   
  
The shower noises from Wufei's room were soft and subtle, lulling me into a drowsy haze. I closed my eyes and saw Treize bent, face to face with Wufei; then heard his voice, low and sultry, purring, "..you have wonderful hands, Wufei..."   
  
My eyes flew open as another small piece fell into place. Wufei was completely and utterly innocent. He had absolutely no idea what Treize was doing; and it was so blatant, so completely forward, I had a difficult time believing I didn't see it when it happened. And according to Wufei, it happened right after they had discussed Occam's Razor, too.   
  
The simplest solution is usually the correct one. Gods. He's trying to seduce Wufei. 


	13. Chapter 12

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Tapestry - Chapter 12  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Oh, honey, I know you took a fall today. Master Treize told me, he did. And please, dear, let me do that - that's what they pay me for. Here - let me set this up right on this table ... "  
  
Mrs. Grimm was puttering around my room, waddling just a little as she set out a marvelously prepared dinner. Not only did it smell wonderful, but it looked wonderful, too. The older woman busied herself taking steaming plates from the trolley pushed into my room and arranging them on the table by the window, chatting the entire time.  
  
"Don't feel embarrassed, dear - Master Treize only told me you fell because he asked me to bring you this aspirin, to help you over some of the - eh - 'discomfort' you'd be feeling." She smiled, her florid face beaming nothing but good will at me. "It's nothing to be ashamed of - not everyone can ride as well as he can."  
  
I was grateful that the only thing I needed to do was smile and nod, as she was providing all the conversation. The fact that we had never met before didn't stop her from talking to me incessantly. Had I been thinking, I would have recognized this tactic as one with a two pronged approach - put your guests at ease, and give them no opportunity to ask questions of their own. Grinding my teeth and reminding myself to smile until my facial muscles ached, I nodded and replied, keeping my tone pleasant and light. "Of course - and I do appreciate your coming up here and bringing my dinner to me, Mrs. Grimm. I'm happy for the company."  
  
She walked over to me, bringing a small bottle and a large glass of water. "Here you are, dear. Make sure you take two of them right now, and two more when you go to bed. You won't feel groggy when you wake up in the morning, I promise."  
  
I smiled at her, still a little miffed that she knew what had happened at all, and took the water and pill bottle. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Grimm -"  
  
"Now, miss, he's not telling folks in general; you can trust Master Treize to be more delicate than that." She pointed at the phone. "Also, if you need me, you just ring. Star 82 is my extension, love - since you're on the house phone now."  
  
"Eh .. yes," I stammered, staring. "I'll remember that - Mrs. Grimm." Right. I was on the house phone now.   
  
Full of good cheer, Mrs. Grimm beamed at me as she pulled the trolley out of the room, watching carefully as she backed her bulk out the door, humming a tuneless little song.  
  
I stared down at the food. Hunger pangs gnawed - suddenly, my stomach decided to remind me now that it hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and I felt ravenous. But along with that came the illogical idea that I didn't want to accept this food. After all, it came from Treize, and Treize was the enemy, and you can't just accept things from your enemy - maybe the food was drugged, or poisoned, or -  
  
Gads. I sank into the chair by the table and stared out the window. This is stupid, I chided myself. You're hungry. So eat. Had the man wanted you dead, you never would have woken up; and if the food's drugged, there's nothing you can do about it. Don't let your anger get the better of you - he certainly isn't, and nor should you.  
  
Absently, I stuck my hand into the bread basket and found the comfort of warm rolls. I chose one and pulled it apart, watching the steam waft through the air, and nibbled on the larger piece as I stared out the window. Leaning back in the chair, I closed my eyes and tried to relax, at least a little, concentrating on making the cramped muscles in my neck a little looser.  
  
Quiet, discreet knocking pulled my mind away from that idea, though. With a small sigh, I opened my eyes, slowly raised myself out of the chair and padded over to the door.  
  
It was Wufei; and he looked more than elegant. Treize's choice for him that evening was a gorgeous creation in black silk with a golden-orange dragon of incredible intricacy that wound its way around his entire body. He looked regal; not haughty, exactly, but more than - greater than - a normal person. A touch of the exotic, as well - his skin tone, the shape of his eyes, his mouth - all added to his otherworldly appearance. He was singular, rare in my time - and his youth and innocence only added to that allure.  
  
"Oh....Wufei," I breathed, staring at him. "You look absolutely stunning."  
  
"I forgot my hair tie," he said, looking embarrassed. "It's still on your dresser."  
  
His hair was down, hanging softly on either side of his face, and in my opinion, he looked much better with it arranged that way. I also realized, with a little start, that if I saw how much better he looked with his hair unbound, so would Treize. And considering what Treize was trying to do to Wufei ... I didn't think it was wise for Wufei to be seen that way.  
  
"That's a good idea," I said, gesturing toward his tie. "It gives you a more - professional - look - than what you had before. Exactly what you need in front of those people. And - Wufei," I added, watching him, "please don't forget to stop in and see me after dinner, if you can."  
  
"Of course," he replied, distracted, as he finished tying his hair back and frowning at his reflection.  
  
"You look exceptionally handsome in that outfit, Wufei. It makes you appear regal."  
  
He flushed a little, but I could tell he was pleased. He looked at me in the mirror, grave and serious. "Thank you."  
  
"You're quite welcome. Have a good time."  
  
Wufei nodded and sighed as he walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He certainly didn't appear to be happy about going to dinner. On the other hand, he hadn't balked completely at wearing the silk outfit - and according to Treize, this was the first time he actually wore something the general chose for him.  
  
Hmm. I thought about that as I attacked my own dinner- roasted Cornish game hens - quickly separating the meat from the bone. Quite therapeutic, really. It took very little time for me to cut my entree into small, quivering pieces on my plate, and it was eminently satisfying. Especially when I thought about Wufei, in all his innocence, falling under the spell of that man.  
  
Things were happening right in front of me, and there was very little I could do to thwart Treize, let alone stop him. I was not operating from a position of power at all; but then again, I never backed away from a fight. There must be something I could do that would at least help Wufei to see what was happening around him. What I needed to do was find out what that something was.  
  
I frowned and leaned back in my chair, finished with dinner, and stared out the window, not really seeing the landscape. Perhaps I was looking at this in the wrong way. Maybe what I should do is try to itemize the kinds of things you can safely accept from your enemy when you become his prisoner. That might be more to the point, and could possibly be a way of showing Wufei, without having to explicitly tell him, what Treize was doing to him.  
  
Ah. Well, first, you accepted shelter - if "accepted" could be applied here at all. Shelter was necessary for your survival, after all - so even though your enemy deprived you of your freedom, he's obligated to provide some type of shelter for you. Although - and I looked around at my room, dubious - it wasn't necessary for him to provide such opulent surroundings. A cell in some obscure, poorly lit jail would have done just as well. Frankly, I would have felt much more comfortable if Treize had kept me - and, yes, even Wufei - in something like that. Keeping us with him, in this mansion, was just ... odd.  
  
Second - acceptance of food. I had moments of doubt over this, and still felt strange about it. However, it was the same type of issue as the first. Treize wasn't obligated to feed us with the services of professional chefs, but he did. Not only that, I had the uneasy feeling that we ate exactly the same thing that HE did, and ... that was just weird. I was expecting bread and water, and was served Cornish game hens. It threw ideas and opinions I had already formed completely out of whack.  
  
I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that when the new cellphone began to vibrate, it gave me a real, physical jolt.  
  
Gods. I nearly jumped out of my chair. Finally realizing what was making my body shake, I retrieved the phone, flipped the lid up and whispered into the handset. "Hello?"  
  
"Oh, good, you got it!" Duo's voice boomed unnaturally loud in my ear, so much so that I quickly turned the volume down.  
  
"Good to talk to you, too, Duo. Yes - Trowa gave it to me this afternoon, before I went riding."  
  
"Good. Okay. What's going on over there? And shit, that guy needs to die."  
  
Blunt and right to the point as always - but it made me laugh. "Right. I know. But Trowa told me that's not possible now - we can't kill him."  
  
"Yeah, I know. But I can dream, can't I?"  
  
I could almost see him winking at me, cheeky thing that he was, and that made me laugh again, too. Gods ... going from someone as grave as Wufei to someone as irreverent as Duo was refreshing. I continued ticking off things prisoners needed to accept from their captors in my mind as I talked to Duo.   
  
Okay. Item number three - acceptance of the terms of capture. That was necessary for both survival and for planning possible escapes. Treize had Wufei tied up rather nicely on that point, though, I noted with some resentment. It would take me ages to try and untangle what he did over the past month or so.  
  
"Yeah - now listen, Sally. You probably have questions. Feel free to ask 'em. The Prince of Darkness is at dinner now, so we'll probably be able to talk for a little while."  
  
I didn't ask how he knew Treize and Wu were at dinner without me - the way things were, it just seemed natural. For some reason. "Yes - but I can't stay on long, Duo. Wufei's coming back after dinner."  
  
"No problem. We'll be quick. And we'll have time after this, too, if you're careful."  
  
"Okay. First - are we being taken to that island tomorrow?" I snorted slightly, still feeling a little angry and anxious. "And careful? I was careful today, and look what happened -"  
  
"Dunno. It looks like you might be." If I had been able to see him, I knew I'd see him shrug. "..yeah? what happened today?"  
  
"Hmm. I'll tell you in a minute. First, though, I have a question - when you were here, what was going on between Treize and Wufei?"  
  
He surprised me by hissing, right into the phone, like a snake. "Oh, nothing, nothing at ALL ... that rat fucking bastard." I heard him take a deep breath. "Okay. Here's what's going on, as far as I can see - "  
  
This fit right in with my mental list of 'things you can accept from your enemy when captured and still remain uncompromised.' I was now at item four - acceptance of comfort items. Suspicious in the extreme - and neither one of us should accept them without acknowledging the potential risk. I knew I didn't have anything like that - well, except perhaps for those new, strappy shoes - but I wondered what Wufei had that Treize had given him.   
  
"I don't know what his fucking game is. I don't have a clue. It looks, almost, like he's just ... bored, or something. All I know is this." Duo's voice dropped in volume and became conspiratol. "He sat us down, one by one, and talked to us after we were captured. Understand, too, that Wufei was here before we were. It was Quatre, me, Heero ... and Relena. Interviewed us - like we applied for some damn job, or something."  
  
"Probably to see if you could amuse him," I interrupted, sarcastic.   
  
"Yeah, well ... it was something like that," Duo sighed. "All I know is that he started talking about Socrates and other folks who I guess were in the same league. I'd never heard of them - but then, I wasn't in school after six, so there's a lot I never heard of, y'know?"  
  
"Hmmm," I murmured. I could almost see his wry smile.  
  
"He tried to get me to talk to him about what I believed, and crap like that. So ... I told him what he could go do with himself and certain appendages."  
  
"Go on," I laughed, completely amused at the thought of Duo sticking his chin out at Treize and telling him where to put Plato's "Republic."  
  
"Well - anyway. He looked a little disappointed - called the guard - and had me locked up again. Had Relena up there with him for all of five minutes before he sent HER back." Duo snorted again. "Guess SHE wasn't interesting at all. She got all flushed and everything, and wouldn't tell me what he said to her. No big surprise."  
  
"Were you hurt when you spoke with him?"  
  
There was a moment of silence as Duo thought. "A little," he finally said. "Got roughed up when I was captured, you know. No biggie. Why?"  
  
"Ah. I was just trying to verify something that was said to me." I chuckled once, humorless. "Not that I don't trust everyone, that is ..."  
  
"Yeah. You can trust what he says." Duo gave one short bark of derisive laughter. "'Course, it's got more than one meaning. Everything he says has more than one meaning. It's like talking to six different people at once. Anyway - things got a little weird when Wufei came to see me, down in the cells. Wu was really worried about us - see, when they were dragging us through the hallway, he was there, just watching them. He thought - geez, I don't even know what he thought." Duo sighed again, an audible exhale. "He hauled me upstairs with him, cleaned me up, and ... well ... it was weird. I stayed another day with him, and then - then Treize let me escape."  
  
It sounded as though there was a lot more behind what he said, but I let it go. For now. "Anything else happen?"  
  
"Well ... yeah." He definitely seemed less happy, and it sounded as if he was moving around the room before he answered. "Look - I like Woofie, you know? He's a good kid. A little dense - cocky as hell - but I like him. Thing is, though, it looks like Treize likes him, too, and not in a good way."  
  
Those words chilled me. Involuntarily, I turned in my chair and glanced at the door, to make sure it was closed. Gods - if it's been going on since Duo was here, it must have been going on from the first day Wufei was imprisoned. "Yes - I know," I replied heavily. "And Wufei doesn't know. He doesn't have a clue - no understanding about anything."  
  
Now it sounded as if Duo was fidgeting on the other end of the line. "Yeah. I know. Wu's smarter than I am. He's smarter than all of us, in some ways. He's got more education, too, even more than Quatre. Problem is, though, he's really not street smart. He can't see this - can't see his way past some odd sense of 'honor' toward Treize."  
  
"Yes," I agreed, sighing.  
  
"I dunno what's up with that - he never told me. Trowa's got a good handle on it. All I know is that I snuck out of his room that night to watch 'em 'duel' - you know, where Treize says he gives Wufei the chance to kill him? Well - I know Wu's not dumb - but the looks he was getting and the way Treize was touching him got my hackles all on edge." He snarled now, angry. "I've BEEN touched that way. It sucks. No one should have to get touched that way, especially when they don't know what the fuck's going on."  
  
Stunned, I listened to Duo confirm my worst fears. "Listen - Duo," I said rapidly. "If we don't get him away from Treize, and soon, we're never going to get him away from here at all."  
  
Duo was silent for a moment. "Whadd'ya mean - 'never?'"   
  
"I'm trying to push him - and I think it's working, I don't know - but there's so much working against me that I'm afraid he's going to be lost if he stays around Treize much longer."  
  
"Whadd'ya MEAN, lost?" Duo's voice became intense. "I had a bad feeling about it. I called Treize on it, too."  
  
"I mean exactly what I said," I repeated, my voice becoming louder and more strident. "We have to get Wufei away from him, or else-"  
  
"Don't do that, Sally." He sounded a little embarrassed. "He - Treize doesn't like it. Keep your temper, if you can."  
  
I stopped. "Okay," I said, taking a deep breath.  
  
Duo sighed. "Look. Wu's pretty resistant to whatever Treize is doing - but I think that's half the draw. See - I'm resistant just 'cause I didn't listen to him - and even if I did, I wouldn't get half of what he was saying. It's not smarts he's looking for, though. Lots of people are educated, lots of people are stubborn, lots of people are naive, and a few are dangerous. Wufei, though, is different. He's going to hold out as long as he thinks he should - that's the thing with him." He sighed again. "Treize .... can get to you if you stay with him. I don't care HOW you feel. He can get under your skin. But he can only get under some people's skin if they let him. Wu's one of those."  
  
"I know, Duo. I'll do my best to protect him - but I can't do anything overt. I'm a prisoner here, too."  
  
"Right - I know that, Sall. Whatever you do, though, don't call him on it directly. It's a bad idea ... okay? He gives you this really spooky grin, and then ... things happen."  
  
Feh. "I fell off my horse today, Duo. I was riding in the woods - and there was this rabid wolf that attacked me when I was a good ways in. Fortunately, Treize was off to the side somewhere, and shot the wolf. Unfortunately for me, my horse was completely spooked by the wolf AND the shot, so he threw me to the ground and ran back for the barn." I grimaced at the remains of my dinner. "Treize - he picked me up off the ground, stuck me on HIS horse ... and then swung up behind me. I had to ride back to the house with him."  
  
"...geez..." Duo murmured.  
  
"But I'm still alive and talking to you tonight. At least for now," I said sourly. "As long as I behave."  
  
I heard Duo's low sigh. "Okay. Has he - has he talked to you yet? Or ... What's he done to indicate how he feels toward you? He usually makes his dislikes pretty damned clear..."  
  
I chucked. Oh, this WAS funny. "He's put a phone in my room just tonight - and told me he doesn't want to 'regret' having doing that."  
  
"Well - yeah. A caution to be careful. It's probably tapped, too, but don't let that get to you."  
  
"He also ... spoke to me after we got back from that 'ride.'" I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, still feeling the aches and bruises from my fall and seeing the even more disquieting look in Treize's eyes as he held me down on the bed.   
  
"Oh? What did he say?"  
  
"It was more of a warning than anything else ... really. I knew I shouldn't have been in the woods, but I went there, anyway - so he basically told me that if I did anything like that again, the results could be ... 'possibly devastating.'" I shuddered, remembering. "He also said that he wouldn't take advantage of me, because - because I wasn't his 'type.'"  
  
Duo paused. "Ow," he said after a moment. "The King of Smooth aims low. Sorry about that .... although, actually, I'm NOT -"  
  
"Yes," I said, laughing a little, nervous and relieved at the same time. "Hit me where it really hurts. That's okay, though. There are definite advantages to not being his type."  
  
"Well, yeah. It means he won't try to schmooze you," Duo said. "But on the other hand, it also means he's not really going to care so much how you're doing except in how it affects his current plans. This guy has no conscience at all, I swear. Has he asked you any kind of questions?"  
  
"Questions?" I wondered. "Well ... last night he asked me all sorts of questions. I was pretty tired - and he said he wanted to hear my side of the story."  
  
"What'd you say?"  
  
"Hmph," I huffed, anger sparking again at the memory. "He wanted to know MY story - why I did what I did, and all that. I told him that the lawyer he hired to defend me must've told my story to the jury. And that was all. I didn't say anything else to him about it."  
  
"That's not so bad," Duo said thoughtfully. "Did he ask you anything else?"  
  
"Ah .. I can't remember exactly, Duo. He kept me talking for an awfully long time about a lot of different things, but nothing specific. He said more than once, though, that Wufei thought I was very important - and he told me he had no idea I was so influential." I repressed a little shudder at that memory, too. That one hit a little too close to home for my comfort.  
  
"Hmm. Then you may still be in the testing period. This is good, Sall - because he hasn't lost interest, and Wufei needs someone else to talk to. You're the only other person Wu talks to besides Trowa, y'know. You do know that - right?"   
  
"...what?" I asked, confused. "No, Duo ... I had no idea ..." I was the only other person Wufei spoke with? Other than Trowa?  
  
"Yep, you and Trowa. That's it for Wu's social life. He never talks to anybody else. Told Trowa God knows what. And now I think he's talking to Treize, but he's more surprised into it, y'know?"  
  
"I know that. Treize is hard not to slip with." I sighed again. "I - I'm afraid of him, Duo."  
  
"You should be. I don't envy you at all. Look, Sall. I don't mean to beat this thing into the ground. But .. it's like ... he's already won the world, and he's getting bored with it. I don't know what he's going to do next, but I don't think he's going to sit. It's almost like he focusing on Wu because there isn't much else he hasn't conquered."  
  
"Do you think - do you think he's going to head to the colonies?" I asked in trepidation.  
  
"Gods. I don't know, Sall. I don't even know why he still has YOU there. It doesn't make much sense, but ... eh. Maybe he'll keep you around."  
  
Ugh. "Ah .. yes. Probably until he gets annoyed enough with me that he'll literally feed me to the starving wolves outside."  
  
"Nah. Doubt that. He doesn't kill when he doesn't have to. I don't get that either, but it's true. Even I'm alive, and I have no reason to be."  
  
"At any rate," I said, "he seems to delight in control."  
  
"Yeah. He does." Duo sounded distracted, preoccupied.  
  
"...and?" I prompted.  
  
There was a long pause. "This is going to sound silly."  
  
"Hardly. It can't be any sillier than anything else that's happened so far."  
  
Duo hesitated. "No, Sall. But it is. I feel like I'm a kid, having a nightmare ..."  
  
"We all are. It's the same one."  
  
"Yeah, but ..." He sighed again and plunged. "I dunno. Sometimes it seems like he's hardly human. He's certainly nothing like what I ever thought Treize Khushrenada was like. Almost as if - as if he was an alien, or a demon, or something, and ... and he was just playing with all of us." An embarrassed silence followed his little speech. "Maybe."  
  
I was silent for a moment, absorbing what he said. "Listen ... Duo," I said, calm and quiet. "It doesn't sound stupid at all. I've only known Khushrenada from his broadcasts, and ... really ... this person I'm with right now bears very little resemblance to him. He's cold, and calculating, and so controlling ... Even some of the people I knew in the service, tough as they were - if you put them against Khushrenada, they wouldn't last two minutes." I laughed a little, again more from nervousness than anything else. "I don't know about him being an alien or a demon, Duo. I think I'd believe the alien part before the demon part - I tend to think from more of a scientific view than anything else. But I will tell you this." I shifted in my chair again, staring out at the now darkened landscape. The sun had set while we were talking; now I felt like a young girl, back in Beijing, awake after a particularly frightening dream. "When Treize warned me - he was staring at me like a hungry lion - and the only thing I could think of was that I was just lucky he was not inclined to eat me."   
  
Breathing deeply, I continued. "I've been in many different battles, Duo - as a doctor, as a commander - but this battle is more exhausting than any of those. I feel that one more misstep - one more error, one small mistake - and something terrible will happen. Everything will come crashing down on me."  
  
"Not necessarily," Duo put in quickly. "I think we actually have an advantage here, Sall. You gotta understand Treize's temperament - if the whole thing crashes, he doesn't have a game, and he WANTS his damned game. One misstep won't necessarily be it. Getting in his way when he really wants something might - but one misstep wouldn't do it. Trust me." He chuckled, a dark sound. "I made plenty, and I'm not dead. And he put you back in the game."  
  
"Right," I murmured. "He put me back ... so it could continue."  
  
"You got it. If he didn't do that a little, there's be no game. He's even doing that with Wu - dragging it out, I mean. That's what made me think he was something - well, something more than human. It's like he's SO bored he has to resort to playing with dull humans - which is why people like Wu really catch his interest. Wu's ... different, somehow. I dunno how, exactly, but he is. Everything about him is different."  
  
"There's nothing we can do now, is there? We just have to go along with whatever he has in mind, and watch, and wait ..."  
  
"Yeah. It sucks, but ... pretty much, that's what we hafta do. Just - just try to get to watch them together as much as you can. It'll give you some ground to talk to Wu. Know what I mean?"  
  
"I do. Really, I do. I'm trying to get through to him, too, but it's har-"  
  
There was a noise in the corridor, coming close to my room. Fortunately, the room was dark - I hadn't bothered to turn on the lights while I was eating, and now I was out of the chair, leaping toward the bathroom. Duo was still talking in my ear.  
  
" - it's hard 'cause he doesn't really have a BASE to understand ... I mean, I know I'm just talking from MY experience, 'cause I've ... uh ... enjoyed life a little more than-"  
  
"Duo, someone's coming," I hissed urgently, frantic to find a hiding place for the phone.  
  
"Shit. Go."   
  
Slamming the cover, I yanked open the narrow linen closet in the bathroom and shoved the phone back in the towels as far as I could. Then I turned on the water for the shower full blast, ripped my clothes off and left them in a heap on the floor and jumped into the shower, sticking my head under the spray, heedless of the water temperature.  
  
Gods, was I lucky I erred on the side of cold water when I twisted the knobs.  
  
I heard a pounding on my door. "Just a moment," I called, pushing the shower door open a little. I turned the water off, wrapped my body in one huge towel and my hair in another, and padded out to answer the door.  
  
Cautiously, I opened the door and peeked around the edge. No one was there. I looked up and down the hallway, and there was no one there, either.  
  
Looking down, I saw a note on the floor with my name written in Mandarin. I picked it up and opened it:  
  
"Stopped by - you're busy. Gone to duel with Treize. Wufei."  
  
Gads. I slumped a little and looked toward the training rooms. Well, Duo HAD said I should watch them together as much as I could. Damn, damn, damn.  
  
It took me five minutes to dress in the other outfit left for me - the soft gi - retrieve the phone from the closet, and stow it again. Treize handling me as much as he did - as in, sweeping me up and carrying me as if I was a child - now made me nervous about keeping the phone on me, but I was MORE nervous about leaving it behind. That was a sure way to get caught.   
  
Leaving the remains of my dinner on the table and scooping up my room key from the dresser, I padded softly out of the room and made my way down the hallway toward the training room.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
A soft, shushing sound floated toward me from the training room, followed by several unintelligible shouts. It sounded to me as if they were going at it harder than they had this morning.  
  
This morning, I thought as I hurried toward the room, happened at least one hundred years ago. At least, that's what it felt like.  
  
Moonlight streamed through the windows, casting long, irregular shadows. It was bright tonight - the moon was full - but it still gave an eerie, almost supernatural cast to everything it touched.   
  
The shouting was louder and more frequent. Now I could hear the rasping of metal on metal, as well. Fear made my feet fly down the corridor, while prudence made my tread as light as possible. As I reached the doorway a familiar feeling clawed its way through me, causing my breath to come in short pants and my heart to beat nearly twice its regular pace. I wasn't simply afraid that Wufei would get hurt; there was some other unmentionable dread that wrapped itself around my reason and caused me to fixate on Wufei. Something was going to happen to him tonight, and the only thing I could do was watch - and pick up the pieces later.  
  
Silently, I padded to the doorway and looked in. Fast, dark shadows were blurring across the floor. Moonlight filtering through windows close to the ceiling helped my vision; I could see surprisingly well, given the hour and the fact that there were no lights on in the facility at all.   
  
The weapons were knives, again - but this time, they were long knives, longer than the morning's duel, and Wufei had two of them. Treize was the larger shadow. He had taken off his shirt, but he didn't look to be perspiring in the least. Wufei, though, had changed to an outfit of all white. He hadn't taken his tunic off, but it was slashed open across his chest, giving the same effect. He didn't seem to be bleeding, but it obviously came rather close to it.   
  
Their tempo was fiercer than the morning; and it was odd, but the longer I watched, the more convinced I became that Treize did that to Wufei on purpose - although why he would do that, I couldn't fathom. If that were true, that would mean he deliberately came within scant millimeters of Wufei's chest while both men were moving. But that would be nonsense, I thought, squinting through the gloom at them. To come that close, on purpose, in the dark, when they were both moving so fast it was difficult to follow their actions? No one could be that precise.  
  
Wufei shouted again, his attention completely focused on his opponent, sidestepped and thrust quickly, ignoring the way his tunic flapped around his waist. He snarled when he failed to connect and spun around to face Treize again, his guard up. I took that opportunity to slide into the room, and stepped back deeper into the shadows of one corner, praying that neither one of them noticed me.  
  
I shouldn't have worried. It was obvious after just a few moments of observation that they could only see each other, that the rest of the room - and the world - had faded to nothingness compared to what was in front of their eyes. I watched, fascinated in spite of myself, just as the prey of the cobra is fascinated with the snake's graceful dance before the snake strikes - and realized something else, something that, given the context, was frightening.  
  
Treize was playing with Wufei.   
  
Oh, there was danger for both of them, all right - should one or the other become careless and neglect the tiniest part of their guard, the other would definitely pounce. In that respect, they were evenly matched. But unlike the morning's workout, where Treize had used his greater size and weight to his advantage, he wasn't doing that now - meaning that he could still end this bought any time he wanted. Apparently, he did not WANT to do that, and was content - doing what? Baiting him? Playing a cat and mouse game with Wufei?  
  
It was completely ironic - for as I watched, Wufei became absolutely wild. He glared at Treize, his teeth were bared, and his entire attention was centered directly on the man in front of him. It was frightening and thrilling, at the same time, to watch - Wufei was turning into the warrior of his people right in front of my eyes. His savagery had reached new heights tonight, and his reactions appeared to be instinctual. Not carefully thought out, as they had previously been, but rapid-fire, snapping thrusts and jabs, all designed to disembowel or dismember his foe.  
  
A change rippled across Treize; before I knew it, he had decided to use his superior size and strength to bring this match to a close. I realized I had been wrong - again - when I assumed that because Treize was taller and heavier he couldn't possibly be as fast as Wufei.   
  
Oh, yes, I was wrong. So very wrong. Treize was faster, by far.  
  
Without warning, Treize slammed into Wufei, thrusting him away from the middle of the floor and smacking him into the far wall, one knife clattering uselessly to the floor. He pinned him there, too, his arm draped across Wufei's collarbone with all his weight leaning into the boy. For a moment, Wufei struggled against him; but immediately went limp when he found he couldn't dislodge that arm, his eyes blazing their defiance into Treize's. But Treize kept staring down into Wufei's face, and while I couldn't see the general's expression, I could certainly see Wufei's. He went from passionately angry, gasping for breath - to slightly confused - and then to something that wasn't scared, exactly, but fairly close to it ...  
  
Now I needed strength, because it felt as though my heart had just leaped into my throat. I knew that whatever was going to happen between them was going to happen NOW, and I wasn't sure how much I could take. Part of me was coiled to spring to Wufei's defense, should he need help; another part watched the pair in horrified fascination; and yet a third part of me laughed at my puny efforts to 'save' Wufei from Treize, given what I had just seen take place.  
  
Right, dear. Your puny efforts and your gun might have given you that one in a million chance needed to kill the bastard; but even so, you can't kill the bastard. You're not very fast, anyway, and you don't have your gun anymore, so just stop dreaming. It's not going to happen today.  
  
Treize still held Wufei against the wall with one arm. With his free hand, he casually raised the long knife, put the point against Wufei's stomach and oh so slowly drew the tip up and up, farther and farther on his body - across Wufei's stomach, over his chest, and finally traced his collarbone almost lovingly, with a great deal of sensuality and tenderness.  
  
Wufei was gazing right into Treize's eyes as the general dragged the knife across his skin. It never left a mark; not even a white trail to indicate where it had been. He was as mesmerized as a deer in front of a predator; his mouth was slightly open and his eyes were wide, staring at Treize.  
  
Treize's voice was low and resonant, carrying to every corner of the room. Leaning even closer to Wufei, breathing right into his face, he murmured, "I ... win."  
  
And abruptly pulled his arm away from Wufei, dropping him to the floor like a stone.  
  
Wufei landed on his feet; but that was about it for any thinking processes. He stood and gaped at Treize, leaning against the wall for support.  
  
Treize, meanwhile was back to 'normal' - he took his own knife, picked up Wufei's, and returned them both to the weapons cabinet with a cheery whistle, not looking at Wufei at all.  
  
I shrank back into the shadows as far as humanly possible. My palms were sweating; there was no way in the WORLD that I wanted Treize, or even Wufei, to know I was there.   
  
After closing the cabinet, Treize turned toward Wufei and appeared to remember something. He walked over to the boy and gently removed the last knife from his hand. Wufei had stayed in place the entire time, staring at Treize, but when the older man's hand brushed his, he leaped back as if scalded. Treize ignored that reaction, turned his back as if he didn't see it, and put that knife away as well.  
  
Wufei wasn't saying a word. He was still staring at Treize and panting as if he had run several miles.  
  
Treize locked the weapons cabinet, put the key in his pocket, retrieved his shirt from the floor, and walked out of the room. Thankfully, he used another pair of doors - not the doors near my hiding place, if you could call it that.  
  
I stayed in place another full ten seconds, just to make sure he was really gone. Wufei hadn't moved a muscle since Treize touched him. He stared after the general, his mouth working a little.  
  
That was enough. I swiftly walked across the room to Wufei, who was now leaning against the wall, his hand tracing the path Treize's knife had taken on his skin.   
  
"Wufei ... Wufei, it's me -"  
  
Without warning, he whirled around and thrust his face close to mine, only centimeters away. "NOTHING HAPPENED!"   
  
I pulled back a little, then put my arm out and rested my hand on his shoulder. "I know, Wufei. You left me a note, telling me you were going to duel. I came down to see you."  
  
He nodded a little, but was back to touching his chest and collarbone. I could tell he was completely distraught; I doubted very much if he had EVER been touched like that. Considering he had only been with his wife once and they weren't really friendly with each other, I didn't see that there would have been any opportunity for play like that.  
  
"Come on, Wufei. Let's go back to your room. You can shower there, and change."  
  
His legs gave out underneath him, and he slumped to the floor, dazed and defeated.   
  
Gods. I dropped to the floor with him, earnestly appealing to any shred of consciousness I found. "Wufei. Please, get up and let's go back. You can't stay here on the training room floor."  
  
He looked up at me as if he had forgotten I was there.   
  
"Wufei ... please. Do come back with me."  
  
After a moment's hesitation, he muttered, "All ... right ..."  
  
This time, he didn't pull away from me. He allowed me to gently tug him to his feet, and then walked with me, as docile as I had ever seen him, out the door and down the hallway to his room. I felt paranoid as we made our way there, imagining Treize was watching us walk back to his room - but that was ridiculous, because I saw him leave through the other door, which didn't lead to this hallway at all ...  
  
Wufei seemed to be more in shock than anything else; he was trembling a little.  
  
I opened the door to Wufei's room and helped him inside. I saw, on his dresser, a single red rose - and didn't process what that meant. In fact, I really didn't WANT to process what that meant, so .. my mind refused the input. It was pretty good at not acknowledging what it didn't want to see and ignoring information right in front of me. Too much information here, I told myself. You'll melt down if you're not careful.   
  
"Wufei - Wufei, you should take a shower before you go to bed. You'll feel better."  
  
He gave no resistance; walked into the bathroom when requested, stripped down when asked, and strode into the shower when directed. When the water hit him, though, he started to come back to himself; he realized I was in the room, but didn't realize he was naked in the shower. Wufei stuck his head out the door and looked at me, confusion uppermost in his mind.  
  
"What ... did he do?"  
  
"I'll tell you when you're out of the shower, Wufei," I said, gentle and firm. "Right now, you just concentrate on getting clean. I'm going to put another outfit in here for you to wear, and I'm going to call Mrs. Grimm and have some tea brought up for us."   
  
"I didn't DO anything," he said with a frown, pulling his head back from the door and into the spray.  
  
"Yes... I know, Wufei. I know." I walked out of the bathroom and into the main room, sighing as I dialed Mrs. Grimm's number. 


	14. Chapter 13

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Tapestry - Chapter 13  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Tea sloshed around in my cup as I waited for Wufei to come out of the bathroom. I found it hard enough to wait patiently for things to happen without doing some type of physical activity; usually I'd take a walk, organize supplies, clean my gun, do something. Today, though, I forced myself to sit in one of the chairs by his windows and drink tea, telling myself that he'd be coming out of the bathroom any time.  
  
Yep. Any time, now. Any time ....  
  
Suffice it to say that I waited what I thought was a reasonable amount of time, and then waited a little longer. I had to make allowances for my own impatient nature and the fact that perhaps he was simply thinking, trying to make sense out of that scene in the training room.   
  
I had my own issues to think about - such as what I found when I went over to my room.  
  
Surprisingly enough, when I walked into my room to call Mrs. Grimm, I realized that MY clothes - the ones I shucked off when I dove into the shower - were nowhere to be found. In fact, any kind of debris, like the dishes from my meal, were also gone.   
  
Unnerving. Invisible hands swept my room clean, tidying it for ... me? I shuddered, realizing that someone was watching my movements so carefully that they knew when I was out of the room. Talk about feeling someone's gaze on you all the time ...   
  
I had quickly called Mrs. Grimm, asked her to bring the tea to Wufei's room, and walked back there to wait for her. It didn't take long, all told. She appeared, happily bustling and as genial as ever, chatting away about God knows what. I simply smiled as I had the last time, nodded politely, and tried to get her out of the room as soon as practically possible. I couldn't believe someone enjoyed talking as much as she did. I mean, I was fairly good at making polite conversation, but honestly, compared to her I was positively reticent.  
  
Now I sighed and sipped my tea, leaning on Wufei's table. Light glowed from the lamp next to Wufei's bed and a small table lamp by the window. The water was still running in the shower, I could hear it; but that was all I heard. There were no other sounds coming from the room at all.  
  
I sighed, pushed myself up from my chair, walked over and knocked on the door. "Wufei - Wufei, are you all right? It's been a while, and I was wondering ..."  
  
There was no answer, except the soft sound of running water.  
  
"Wufei - Wufei?"  
  
I wasn't going to wait any longer. I opened the bathroom door and walked in, blinking in the harsher light, and looked for Wufei.   
  
He had to be in the shower, because he certainly wasn't anywhere else in the room.  
  
"Wufei?" Hesitant, I walked to the tub, pulled the door open and peered around it, hoping I wouldn't find that he fainted.  
  
A small gust of air flew back into my face. I felt goosebumps pop up on my arms as my face was engulfed by a fine, needle-like spray that was simply freezing. He was still there, and as far as I could see, was still conscious. However, what tugged at my heart was the way he was standing under the spray. His arms were wrapped around his body, his head was down and his eyes were closed as he stood there, hunched. He wasn't turning blue from the temperature, but I was sure that left alone any longer he would be.  
  
Wufei's body language was so telling; but his passivity, I was sure, was due to delayed shock. I grabbed several towels and tossed them over my shoulder, then reached in and turned off the shower with a flick of my wrist.  
  
"Here. Wufei," I said, my tone gentle, and pushed a large towel into his unresisting hands. "Wrap yourself up and watch your step coming out."  
  
Blinking slowly, Wufei took the towel and did as I asked. He shook out the towel, tucked it around his waist, held it closed in one hand and stepped onto the marble floor, dripping and shivering. Wufei appeared to be completely unaware he was naked in front of me; which, actually, was good. He stood there, looking straight at me but not really registering who was in the bathroom with him as I toweled him dry.  
  
Definitely some type of shock. I left him standing in the middle of the floor for a moment while I retrieved his clothes from the vanity. "Here, Wufei. Put these on."  
  
He looked at me for a moment, then shifted his gaze down to the clothes in my arms. He dropped his towel on the floor, took the clothing from me and started to get dressed, slowly pulling a dark sleeveless tunic over his head.  
  
"Nothing ... happened," he said, his voice soft and even.  
  
I nodded wordlessly and handed him the rest of his clothes. "I'll wait for you in the other room, Wufei. Come out when you're ready. There's tea waiting for you."  
  
He nodded, his gaze dark and troubled. "Hai."  
  
I walked out of the bathroom. Several moments later, Wufei appeared in the doorway wearing an open white zippered sweatshirt, the dark tunic, a pair of white sweatpants and a bemused look. I took his elbow and guided him over to the table by the window. He didn't protest or pull away at all; and for me, that was a telling measure of how distracted he really was.   
  
"Have a seat, Wufei." I steered him into a comfortable chair, poured tea for him in a large cup with a small dollop of sugar. "Let me know if you need more sugar." Retreating from his side of the table, I finally sank into my own chair, grateful for the opportunity to simply sit and watch him.  
  
"Why are you here?" His face twisted a little, dark hair swinging slightly against his cheeks. An involuntary tremor rippled across his shoulders and down his back; I saw it. Almost as if it was a reaction to whatever he was thinking at the moment, which apparently was something he didn't find pleasant.  
  
Sympathy for him and a dull anger at Treize throbbed through me; I tried to keep my emotions under control, though, only presenting him with a calm, rational mask. He hated anyone showing sympathy for him, I knew. He believed it was a sign of weakness on his part that he would inspire that reaction in anyone, and I was not going to make this any more unpleasant for him than I had to.  
  
I took a sip of my own tea before speaking. "You were sparring," I said slowly, choosing my words with care, "using long knives. You used something like that this morning."  
  
"Yes," he nodded, sipping on his own tea, "the ... the daggers. Yes, I remember."  
  
"When I arrived, you and Treize had been sparring for a little while."  
  
"Yes. I - I didn't ... time it," he replied, his gaze fixed on his tea.  
  
"Ah." I stopped, trying to think how to word the next part. "I will tell you what I noticed, if you wish ... about the sparring, that is."  
  
"Hai."  
  
I took a deep breath. "Treize is taller and heavier than you - but when I arrived, he wasn't using either his height or his weight to his advantage. It - it appeared to me that he was trying to provoke you to react automatically, without thinking. Was that true? Did you feel that? Did you feel that you were simply reacting, and not truly attacking?"  
  
"He was," Wufei confirmed. "He - he said he wanted to see me..." He stopped, frowning, searching for the right word. "...feral," he finished. "I think that's what he wanted to see."  
  
I hid my shock well, I thought. Feral. Gods. "I think - I think you're right, Wufei. That's what happened. But after a while, he seemed to tire of the the game, and that's when he decided to use the weapons he had been holding back." The next scene played rapidly played through my head again, leaving me grateful I could conceal my expression with my teacup. "I had no idea he could move so quickly, Wufei. For a large man, he is very fast indeed." Ridiculously fast, in fact.  
  
"I learned that the hard way," he acknowledged. "There is no way to see him coming. He telegraphs nothing." Wufei put his teacup down on the table and rubbed his arms again.  
  
"I noticed that, too. There was no indication that he was about to explode on you. It just - happened. And when it did, it was overwhelming for you."  
  
"Overwhelming?" he echoed, looking over at me. "I only saw his eyes."  
  
Again, I hid my surprise and shock. "His eyes, Wufei? Is that where you look when you're fighting him? Into his eyes?" Gads, no wonder he was overwhelmed. Not only did Treize use his superior size and strength, but he also used one of the oldest fighting techniques to throw Wufei off.  
  
Wufei frowned slightly, as if I had just asked him a simple question anyone should be able to answer. "Of course. Why not?"  
  
"A teacher of mine always told me to look at my opponent's throat - that the neck and the shoulders telegraph what the body's going to do. The eyes of your opponent - well, some people have the ability to hide what they're doing extremely well." And with the hypnotic pull of Treize's gaze .... gah. No wonder.  
  
He shrugged. "Yes, I know. I usually watch my opponent's shoulders and throat - anything BUT the face - but with him, it seems to make no difference. I was watching his eyes. He doesn't indicate anything. And his eyes are ..." He stumbled for a word, finally finding one: "...compelling."  
  
"Yes. They are. Almost hypnotic, like a snake's. That would be enough for me NOT to look at them if I fought him."  
  
"I have no fear." He frowned again. "Not even of HIM."  
  
"No one said you did," I countered, taking another dip of tea. "But it is unwise to take uncalculated risks."  
  
"How is that a risk? It is not. I will not be cowed!" Wufei was shaking, and didn't seem to know it, his eyes blazing passion.  
  
"You will never win if your emotions are so easily stirred. You will only be able to master him when your own emotions are under control and you are thinking clearly."  
  
"My emotions ARE under control!" he shouted. He leaned forward in his chair, very tight, looking slightly embarrassed as if caught. "When I fight, I am in control FULLY as much as I need to be. I don't know. He's ... stronger than I am. He - " Wufei broke off, his expression clearly showing he was remembering the end of the match, and just as clearly showing his bewilderment.  
  
"Wufei," I said, trying to make my voice as soothing and cool as possible.   
  
"Will you tell me what you came in here to say?"  
  
I took a moment before responding. "It was Treize's way of letting you know that he won the match," I replied, careful again.  
  
"Your point?" He touched his chest unconsciously, then clenched his fist.   
  
A short silence fell between us as I considered how best to tell him what I suspected. I knew that, given time, Wufei would come to this conclusion by himself; but again, he wasn't himself right now. "Wufei. Tell me something. How did it feel when Treize ran his knife up your chest? I know it's a strange question," I added, "but ... trust me."  
  
Wufei stared. It looked as though he really didn't want to respond.  
  
"Okay," I sighed, "Let me tell you the way I think it probably felt, and you can tell me whether or not I'm on the right track."  
  
Hunching his shoulders and leaning forward slightly, Wufei glared at me, almost daring me to continue. He drew his legs up into the chair and wrapped his arms around them.  
  
I ignored his glare and continued.  
  
"Okay. First - you were fighting all out, trying to win, when suddenly you were slammed against the wall. That's not unusual, really - it happens all the time. But this time, your opponent was right in your face. Literally."  
  
Still glaring, Wufei gave a bare nod, showing he was listening.  
  
"Treize had you pressed against the wall and you couldn't move - you had to pay attention to him, you had no choice. Then - after he looked at you, making sure he had your full attention - he took his knife and ran it all the way up, starting at your stomach and then up across your chest. Not to cut you, or even scare you - it was barely touching you. It was dangerous - you knew it - but it felt good. Weird, but good."  
  
Now Wufei stared at me as if I had just said the most outrageous thing he'd ever heard. His entire body went stiff and still as he looked at me with dark eyes that threatened to become even larger. "No. "  
  
I continued. "The places the knife passed over felt - tingly. And so did you. And then, the rest your body started feeling that way."  
  
"No," he denied.  
  
"He did the same thing around your neck, across your collarbone -"  
  
Wufei's body stiffened even more and he gripped his knees tightly. A slight, almost imperceptible shiver ran across his shoulders as he scowled at me, silent and threatening.  
  
" -but the last thing he did - when he spoke to you - made you feel ... breathless."  
  
That was the last straw. My last word had barely escaped me when he pounced. He was fierce. "You don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
I had to push him, though - he needed to think this episode through, and I needed him cognizant. "You lost the match, but that's not what he said to you. He leaned right into your face - you could probably feel his breath across your cheek - and said very clearly, 'I - won.' " I paused for a moment, letting that sink in, watching his reaction. "And then he dropped you to the floor like a large sack of sand, and left you there."  
  
Wufei was still curled into his chair, unmoving, staring at me like a basilisk. Challenging me to continue.  
  
Which, of course, is exactly what I did.  
  
"Wufei."   
  
He looked over at me; defiant, denying anything had happened at all - and extremely confused. On some level, though, his psyche knew something had happened. He might be loathe to admit the ttruth to me, but he wouldn't lie to himself.  
  
"You're probably not going to like what I'm going to say ... but it's the truth, and needs to be said. The man's trying to seduce you, Wufei. And from the look on your face, I'd say he was making some headway."  
  
It was an odd thing to see - Wufei's face lost all color, as if the blood simply washed away from his cheeks, and just as suddenly became flushed. "Wha - what?" he stammered.  
  
"You must understand, Wufei. I've seen this before - and I've also been in your position before." I shrugged a little. "Not often, understand, but enough to recognize the warning signs. He's trying to seduce you. Ultimately, he wants to bed you."  
  
Wufei looked, for one moment, as if he was going to throw up. The moment passed; he paled again, and seemed dazed. "You're crazy," he declared.  
  
"I have no idea whether he's interested in any other type of relationship," I continued, looking into his eyes, knowing that he heard me, but he was having difficulty processing. "I'd guess not. You know, this kind of relationship - it's not ... well ... unusual. What IS unusual is that it's Treize who is pursuing you."  
  
Apparently, something had penetrated his awareness. He snapped his arms away from his legs, his hands in tight fists, and stared at me with eyes that were huge and dark. "What are you saying? What are you talking about? That's utter nonsense - it makes no sense! Why the hell would he want something that ... USELESS!?" Outrage and horror stared back at me from his eyes.  
  
"Well, it does make sense, after a fashion," I said patiently, keeping my voice low and even. "Think of all the different ways he's been - playing - with you over the past month or so."  
  
He just kept staring at me, unblinking. I sighed. He had no context for that type of sexual play, I realized, especially when his one and only experience was with a pubescent, angry teen like himself.   
  
Perhaps his relationship with his wife, though, could help after all. "Wufei - search back in your memories. Remember when you were with your wife? Before you actually had sex, you needed to be aroused. Think about how that felt - and see if any of those feelings are the same. They probably aren't as strong, but .. just think about it."  
  
I sighed to myself and watched how my words affected him; and gods, now he was leaning forward, aggressive, looking as though he wanted to spring out of the chair and onto me. "That is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"  
  
Ah - he made the connection. Unperterbed, I continued. "Your body reacts in certain ways to certain stimulus - and sex, believe it or not, is more emotional than anything else."   
  
Wufei looked horrified. "Stop it - this is NOT the same! NONE of this has been the same!"  
  
"He's trying to get you into an aroused state, Wufei ... to the point where you won't know what's happening around you. Why did you think he wanted to get that 'feral' response from you?" I looked at him. "He's very good at manipulation, you know."  
  
I realized that he probably regarded sex as duty instead of pleasure, as he was ordered to consummate his marriage with his wife by his elders and he obeyed. His previous comments about that, too, were telling; some of it probably felt good, but he really hadn't been focused on it at the time.  
  
"Sally." Wufei looked at me, obviously pushing his panic aside, trying to be reasonable. "Treize is not gay. He has a daughter. Do you understand?" He paused, watching me. "He's ... he doesn't WANT what you're saying!"   
  
"Um .. he can, Wufei. It works just as well with males as it does with females. To some people, it doesn't matter what sex their partner is -"  
  
"It matters to ME!" His voice cracked a little at the end.  
  
"Of course it does." I tried to be soothing and calm. "But I'm trying to tell you what Treize is doing, and how you're responding -"  
  
"I'm NOT responding!" he shouted, his cheeks flushed, looking as if I had slapped him.  
  
Maybe I was - psychologically, at any rate. I continued, relentless; he had to understand, and there was no other way. "Emotionally, Wufei, you can't help it. Treize has this -" I groped for the word "- aura, for the lack of anything better - about him. It affects me, too. I think it affects everyone who comes into contact with him."  
  
He blinked; it looked as if something made a connection in his mind. His cheeks slowly turned back to their normal color, and his breathing slowed a little. "Une," he said more quietly. "And Zechs. Une and Zechs have been around him for - for ages. They've both lost their minds, Zechs especially."  
  
His mind had made a leap that mine was only now considering. "I - I suppose you're right," I replied, surprised. "I never thought about it that way, but ...knowing this ... you could be right." I looked at him, earnest. "Please, Wufei. I'm not a person to lie, and I certainly wouldn't lie to you."  
  
"I know you're not lying. You're still wrong."  
  
"I'm simply telling you what I've observed, and my observations are based on personal experience. And Wufei, this is important - once you know the weapon your enemy is using against you, you can defend yourself."  
  
"That ISN'T what he's trying to do," he snapped. "Why the hell WOULD he?"  
  
I chuckled. Really, it was too ironic. "Why, Wufei, why are we here?"  
  
He stared at me, defiant, refusing to answer.  
  
"We are here at his whim," I explained, shaking my head, "and can be eliminated at his whim, as well."  
  
"And what does that have to do with this?"  
  
"Well - I believe we are caught in some elaborate games of his."  
  
"What, a game to fuck me? That's the only purpose for all this?" Wufei snorted. "I'm sorry, Sally, but I don't believe you." His body language was telling me something else, though, because he had started shaking again.  
  
"I can't force you to believe me, of course." I shrugged and took a sip of my tea, watching him. He had leaned back into his chair; his eyes were closed, and his hands were in fists, his arms folded across his chest. "But I'd like to counsel you to look at his actions through different eyes - because there's something else that implicit in this 'game' of his that you need to know."  
  
"Bastard," he spit, his voice cracking badly. "Bastard - he has no right to touch me anyway." He opened his eyes and looked at me again, angry and bewildered and lost, so lost. " - different eyes? What do you mean?"  
  
"The ultimate goal is to get the victim - that's you - to participate willingly, so that the end result is consensual sex."  
  
He blinked slowly and scowled. "Sure it is, Sally. Then he'd be after you, not me. I told you. He's NOT homosexual."  
  
"Oh, no, Wufei, you don't understand." I laughed; the sound was harsh and brittle. "He's already made it quite plain. Treize told me this afternoon that I wasn't his 'type.'"  
  
"Type?" he repeated, looking puzzled.  
  
Wow. That comment showed me, as nothing else did, how naive he really was. "Ah ... yes. I'm not the type of person he prefers to have sex with. I mean, I don't know why - he didn't elaborate. I could be too old, too tall, too thin, not pretty enough - it could be anything."  
  
Or simply the unfortunate case of being born female, the snide voice in my head chortled. Don't forget that one.  
  
Now he was slowly looking insulted. "Type? It sounds like a choice of coffee." His expression clearly showed his disgust.  
  
I nodded at him. "Yes. Now you're understanding the idea. It's rather like choosing something to play with from your toybox."  
  
He curled his lip. "Ugh."  
  
"Yes. Ugh. An ugly world we're in. I don't know what to do about this, though. We're in a precarious position, because we're his prisoners. I could tell you how to push him away - how to put him off - but I don't think it would work. Not with him."  
  
He didn't respond, but his knuckles whitened and his eyes narrowed.  
  
"And ... something else, Wufei. I spoke to Trowa today - and he said that it would be best for us to stay where we were." Feh - that was hard to say. I had believed we'd be long gone by this time. Instead, here we both were ... having a chat in Treize's house before bedtime. Ick, ick, ick.  
  
"Of course I'm staying where I am," he replied, sounding automatic. "I promised." His glare was angry, challenging. "I will not go against my word."  
  
"Yes .. yes, of course, Wufei." I felt defeated again. "I know you won't break your word."  
  
He finally slid his legs off the chair and rubbed his eye with the heels of his hands, a weary, tired motion. "I don't know what the hell's going on. I hate that. But I'm going to figure it out." Wufei eyed me. "You're wrong, Sally. I know for a fact that you're wrong."  
  
"I'm sorry, Wufei. I wish I could do something." I looked out the window into the darkness and felt a bitter, tight anger against our circumstances and life in general in my chest. "And while we're enjoying our time here, the world continues ... under the benevolent leadership of Treize Khushrenada and OZ ..."  
  
"He did bring peace," Wufei said weakly.  
  
"At what cost?" I asked, shaking my head. "And who pays the price?"  
  
Wufei snorted softly. "All the people who shouldn't, probably." He seemed to think for a moment, weighing his words. "Everything he does has more than one purpose, Sally. Everything. If he's in a good mood, he'll even tell you some of the reasons. It's not what you think."   
  
I turned from the window back to you. "All his actions may have more than one meaning, Wufei, but from what I've seen, he wants you. Completely, utterly, and totally - and I doubt very much he'd tell you that."  
  
Wufei snorted. "Then he's mad. I'm not worth the effort."  
  
He was still submerged in the idea he had failed his people. I ignored that, hoping that he would eventually tire of such self-deprecating thoughts, and said, "I believe he is a bit mad - and as you said, he seems to drive those close to him mad as well. Just look at Une."  
  
Wufei nodded slowly. "You didn't ... Zechs. He - you didn't see him leave." His eyes were distant, seeing something that happened in the past. "He - just ... They said he was dead, at first - but ... I think someone helped him escape. The body they brought up wasn't his. Treize said so. He left a week or so after Treize brought me to the island. I remember - he watched us with a strange expression on his face. I don't know why, but I think something about my ... situation ... is what made him leave."  
  
I considered that. "It makes sense. If he was close to Treize, seeing you there might have made him uncomfortable."  
  
"No, he wasn't." Wufei shook his head emphatically. "I mean .. he was, but not like ..." He broke off and looked at me, silent for a moment. "I know who Zechs really is," he finally said, his gaze fixed on his knees.   
  
"Really?" I asked, giving him a sharp look.  
  
He nodded, his face pale. "Treize told me. He's Milliardo Peacecraft, Relena's brother. He - Treize - practically raised him. Even though he's only a couple of years older. He took him in. Gave him a new name and face so he could hide. Raised him. Gave him everything. Taught him everything he knows and believes."  
  
I stared at him, nonplused. "I don't believe that - "  
  
"He has pictures. And he calls him "Milliardo" when they're alone. Or mostly alone," he said thoughtfully. "He did it when I was there, too. Milliardo would give me these looks. I don't even know what they were. They weren't pity, and they weren't disgust; I couldn't figure it out."   
  
"Pictures? You've seen pictures of them together?" I asked, interested.   
  
He blinked slowly. "I can show you." Wufei unfolded his legs and stood in one smooth motion. He wobbled a little, still dizzy; I was on my feet and around the table in an instant, holding his arm and steadying him.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
Wufei yanked his arm out of my hands, pulling so hard he knocked himself off balance again. Staggering a little, he gave me an apologetic look, blushing. "I - I'm sorry. Please don't touch me."  
  
"It's all right, Wufei. I won't do that any more," I promised. Poor boy had had enough shocks for one day; he certainly didn't need me crowding his personal space, too.  
  
He nodded, shaking a little, but recovering rather quickly, all told. "This way, please."   
  
I followed him into the hallway, wondering where he was taking me. Probably to see a couple of framed photographs on the wall of a study.  
  
It was odd, too - it was rather late at night, and the house was totally silent. Nothing was moving about - there wasn't even the sound of the wind whispering against the shutters. Treize, apparently, had gone to bed, a courtesy that I heartily appreciated. I didn't really want to meet him, walking down the corridor to God knows where with Wufei in such an emotional state.  
  
And he still was, too. He looked fine, on the outside; but there was a telltale wobble to his step, and just a little perspiration beaded on his forehead. He looked fine - but as in everything else, looks were deceiving.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"We're going to Treize's office," he said over his shoulder. "I have the keys. He gave them to me ... showed me where everything is ...."  
  
I nearly stopped walking at that piece of news. Jaw agape, I sped up and caught him just as he was unlocking a door on the left hand side of the hall. "You - what? You have the keys to Treize's personal office?" Visions of secret plans and hackable computers and all different types of information danced across my mind, all of them taunting me because I couldn't touch a single one of them.  
  
I was with Wufei, you see. And as sure as I knew my own name, I knew he promised not to touch or give out classified information from any locations at all. I felt like someone who had been lost in the desert for days, craving water, suddenly thrown into an oasis pool and told, "Now, don't drink, and certainly don't get any in your mouth ..."  
  
"He agreed to give me access as long as I was careful not to abuse it," he said, unlocking the door and turning on the light. "And I don't have keys to the really secure things, or access to his computer - but I can get into anything else."  
  
The office was tastefully decorated, understated, just as everything else in the house, and elegantly appointed. The desk was a magnificent cherry wood, polished to a shine, clean and sharp. Wufei unerringly went to the middle left hand drawer and pulled out a sheaf of papers.  
  
"Here," he said, thrusting the papers into my hands. "You can look at them here, but we can't take them back to the room."  
"Oh," I said, feeling as though I was rather useless once again. There were hundreds of photos here - some recent, many that were taken within the last year or so, and others that appeared to be even older. The ones of Zechs, though, were unmistakable, no matter the age of the picture.  
  
"I can see why he wanted to keep these hidden," I said as I looked at photos of Zechs and Treize. "They'd probably cause him some problems in the press. Not many, but some."  
  
"Some for Relena, I'm sure, since he's been working for OZ for all these years." Wufei looked troubled. "That night - the night he left - he contacted me and told me he was leaving. Offered for me to come with him. I'd already promised, of course." He shrugged, just a slight motion of his shoulders.  
  
"Oh .. Wufei," I said, staring at the photo in my hands. So close, again, to freedom ...  
  
"I think Treize knew he was leaving, too. He - he knew Zechs had called me." Taking a deep breath, Wufei continued. "And then he gave Zechs a half hour. We were on the island - so - I don't know how he got off. They set the dogs loose." I could see the tremors go through him again. "They found a body, but ... Treize said it wasn't him. He told me the next day. He's been consistent with that."  
  
My hands were trembling slightly as I gave the pictures back to Wufei. "Yes ... very consistent, in fact." I was feeling cold, frozen to my core and slightly sick to my stomach. "He ... he set his dogs loose on Zechs?"  
  
Wufei nodded. "Une went overboard. Sent everybody out - bullets everywhere - but obviously, he got away."  
  
Great. Oh, just great. "Une was on this island, too?"  
  
"Hai. That was before he sent her to space to do more negotiations. That's where Zechs showed up, last I heard." He shrugged again, barely making the fabric of his shirt move. "Treize - tells me things. Obviously, not everything ..."  
  
"Well, no. I'm sure he'd be selective -"  
  
" - but he tells me a lot," Wufei finshed after a moment.   
  
Numbly, I looked around the office. "Is there anything here, Wufei, that might be useful to ... oh ... Duo, or Trowa?"  
  
"Probably," he replied, giving me an even look as he locked the drawer with the photos. "I don't care how evil he is - I'm not sinking to his level. I gave my word; the information remains classified."  
  
I knew he was going to say that, but I had to try anyway. "Okay, Wufei," I sighed. "I respect your decision." There had to be another way to get this information -  
  
He broke into my thoughts. "There are alarms. Don't be unwise."   
  
I started and stared back at him. Apparently, mind reading was now one of his specialties.  
  
"We should go," he said, motioning me toward the door.   
  
"All right." I walked out of the room without complaint. But inside - inside I railed at the world and the universe and the unfairness of it all. Providence's hand provided me with BOTH the key and the knowledge of where each and every file was in the house; and at the same time, provided the perfect guardian of its secrets - Wufei. It was almost as it he held onto this concept of "honor" as his personal concept of morality.  
  
I waited while Wufei locked the door behind him, then walked down the hallway. It seemed that Treize had stacked the game in his favor - which, really, was terribly annoying. I'm sure I would have done the same thing in his place, but this was ... well. "Annoying" wasn't really strong enough.  
  
"You don't have to speak to me again, if you don't wish to."   
  
I turned and gave Wufei a weird look. "What are you talking about, Wufei? Of course I'll speak to you. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Ah. Heero and Zechs both made it clear that they would not. I won't hold it against you."  
  
Head down, Wufei walked past me toward his bedroom.   
  
"Hold on, Wufei. I'm not Heero or Zechs, and ... I need to talk to you. Very much. I'm alone here, Wufei - and I respect your decision."  
  
He stopped and looked at me. "I'm not much of a conversationalist," he admitted. "And you may respect my decisions, but you don't understand them."  
  
"No. Not really," I said. "But you have your reasons for them, and that's enough for me. I ... I welcome your friendship, Wufei. I've never been the game-playing type of person - I'm much too straightforward and direct for that." I gave him the ghost of a smile.  
  
"I know," he said with a weak smile. "You should get out of here."  
"I can't, Wufei. I have nowhere to go - and I have no way to get there."  
  
"Trowa and Duo could help you," he insisted.  
  
"No - Trowa said they could not get us out. Either one of us. So .. we're here. Together."  
  
He shut his eyes again, as if he was in pain. "You shouldn't be here - you should be free, back with your men where you could do some good. I shouldn't have brought you here." Conflicted didn't really describe the look on Wufei's face. "But at least you're not in prison."  
  
"Please - don't ever say that. You have spared me much misery and pain. And someday, I will get back, and I will fight again." I sighed. "Right now, though, my fight is a different one, and I must learn how to fight differently."  
  
"I - I am sorry to be so much trouble." He looked at the floor, clearly angry and upset with himself.  
  
"Please - Wufei - you are no trouble. Quite the contrary." I walked over to the door of my room and smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good night."  
  
He probably wasn't going to be okay tomorrow. I knew that. But I also knew, and hoped, that a little information went a long way, so maybe - just maybe - it would help protect him, a little, from Treize.  
  
I was dead tired. I walked over to my bed without turning on the light, collapsed on the bed and crawled under the sheets, blanket and bedspread, fully clothed. I didn't care. The last thing I remember doing was pulling the cover over my head as I drew my legs up to my chest, huddling under the blanket.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Wednesday. It was Wednesday. I'd been awake for a day and a half, since Monday afternoon.   
  
I was standing next to the table in my bedroom, showered and dressed. Someone had left another outfit for me to wear, along with some clean underwear. I looked at myself in the mirror across the room. My reflection showed a woman wearing a powder blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of white pants, both made out of lightweight, strong material, both very functional and attractive.   
  
And they fit perfectly, of course.   
  
I was itching to walk somewhere ... anywhere ... just as long as it was away from here. Sliding into my shoes, I snagged the coat I used yesterday from the wardrobe, shoved my arms into the sleeves and was out the door.  
  
I didn't bother to take my key. What was the point, really?  
  
No noise was coming from Wufei's door. I assumed he was either still sleeping, since it was early, or out somewhere. Looking both ways, I walked without a sound down the hallway, looking for the way out.  
  
I found it, right where it was the previous day, next to the kitchen. Tripping down the steps, I stepped into the bracing air - yet another perfect fall day. It wasn't difficult to decide on a direction - I'd seen most things on the stable side of the mansion, so I decided to take the other path.  
  
As I walked briskly along the path, I noticed several things that were different. First, there was a hunting range set up not too far away; but what was weird was that all the little cardboard bunnies and birds were completely unscathed; and that felt ..........gah. Weird, to say the least.   
  
I continued on. There were several paths that wound into the path I was following, and it appeared as if they led into the woods.  
  
An excellent place for them. I certainly wasn't going to find out where they led. Once was enough, thanks. I only needed that kind of reminder once.  
  
It was beautiful outside, and the air did help to clear my head - but in very many ways, this mansion and its grounds were spooky and odd, something that was absolutely separated from the world. I had been used to moving forward, planning my team's next move, trying to work through the logistics of our next mission. This time, though, any decision had been taken away from me. I could make the decision where to walk, but really ...  
  
Say what's on your mind, Sally Po, that strange insistent voice of mine murmured. Say it.   
  
"It's ... it's just the illusion of freedom," I said to myself. "An illusion, nothing more. I'm tied to him, as surely as his horses."  
  
My shoulders sagged. It would have been nice to pretend otherwise, but as I told Wufei ... I was too straightforward. I couldn't pretend, even to myself. Sighing, I turned and walked along the gravel path back to the house.  
  
And .. ah, there was something that wasn't there when I left. A long, dark limousine sat in the circular driveway, at the bottom of the steps. Curiously, I walked over to the car and peered in. All the doors were unlocked; the driver was nowhere to be seen; and the keys were in the ignition.  
  
What temptation - a car, right in front of me, ready for me to take to the nearest airport and abandon... Sighing again, I backed away from the car and walked up to the house. It would have been nice, but again - it was just a fantasy. I'd never get off the grounds with the car, and I knew it.  
  
As if by magic, the front door opened before I had the chance to turn the knob; and who was standing in the doorway but Lady Une.   
  
Glaring at me.  
  
"Treize-sama has asked me to escort you to his bedroom," she announced in her I-don't-approve voice as she gave me a look of pure loathing. I had no idea why, but she certainly didn't like me. Probably had something to do with that last fight we had before my shuttle crashed.  
  
"I see," I replied, my tone mild. "Thank you, Lady Une."  
  
She motioned curtly for me to enter. I nodded and stepped into the house - and as calm and quiet as it was outside, it was the polar opposite inside. It was quite the center of activity.  
  
Une calmly threaded her way through the chaos of the lower level, avoiding bustling young soldiers with their arms stacked full of files, and headed right up the stairs. I followed her, feeling a little more apprehensive.  
  
We passed the second floor, and ended on the third floor. It was much quieter here; not as many people hustling around, and a completely different atmosphere. Downstairs was the area for the common folk; this had more of a rarified feel, with its plush carpets and perfect decor.   
  
Une led me down the hallway to a corner bedroom. She rapped on the heavy wooden door, then waited expectantly.  
  
I heard Treize's voice, muffled, from the other side. "Come."  
  
Now nervous and curious, I followed Une into the room, praying that I looked calm. I felt as though I did, although my heart had started to beat a little faster and my palms were sweating.  
  
Treize was sitting on his balcony, wearing a smoking jacket and what appeared to be silk sleeping pajamas. It was odd, though - there was something totally discordant about that entire scene, something that was completely out of character for him.  
  
It's the clothes, my inner voice informed me. He never wears things like that. It's just for appearance.  
  
"Lady Une," he acknowledged, not looking in her direction.  
  
"I have brought her, my lord," she murmured, bowing. I stared at the poor woman; gods, she was completely subservient to this man - head down, speaking only when spoken to ... it was bizarre, considering I remembered what she was like as a competitor.  
  
"Thank you, Lady. You are dismissed."  
  
Une nodded sharply at him, her body stiff, whirled around and marched out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.  
  
He didn't even look at her. I felt rather exposed as I stood in the middle of the room, waiting for Treize to acknowledge my presence.   
  
I didn't have to wait long. He looked over at me as soon as Une left, a hooded, focused expression in his eyes. "We are leaving, as I'm sure you can tell."  
  
"Yes, I can see that," I agreed.  
  
"You may bring anything you like, within reason, from this house. There will be plenty of things for you to do at our next location, though - more than here, to be honest, so you should not be bored."  
  
He turned his attention from me and watched something from his balcony. His gaze was fixed on whatever had grabbed his attention initially, and I moved to see what that was.  
  
"Of course, I need not remind you that the rules I set forth here will be enforced at our other location, as well. It is a military complex, however, so there will be a few more. Allow me to apologize ahead of time."  
  
"Oh .. I understand."   
  
I still couldn't see what he was looking at - and he seemed to be waiting for me to look, as well - so I walked over to the balcony and looked down.  
  
And I froze - inside. Outside I presented my best "how perfectly boring" expression as I watched Wufei train on his patio, completely oblivious to any other observers. He was doing some kind of complicated kata; he was doing it fast, and very hard. I watched in amazement as he flipped, kicked, and performed otherwise impossible feats of balance.  
  
It dawned on me, right at that moment, why he was training so frantically. It was in response to our discussion last night.  
  
"He seems agitated today. I wonder why that is," Treize said evenly, not taking his gaze from Wufei.  
  
I was silent, watching Wufei. Treize's comment didn't feel like a question; and I couldn't say why, but I had the feeling that it wasn't a statement of fact, either. Instead, it felt as though he was irritated because he believed what he did last night put Wufei into this state. And that -   
  
"It's ... difficult to tell with Wufei," I replied, taking a shallow breath.   
  
"Mmmm." He looked disappointed. I could hardly believe it; it was as though this response was not what he was expecting to see.  
  
"I certainly hope he is strong enough to make the journey." Treize turned to me, that slight air of disappointment still about him. "If you wish to pack, Ms. Po, please do so. I would like to leave within the hour." He turned from me and looked down toward Wufei again. Apparently, our interview was over.  
  
A small glow of triumph spread through me - finally, something had worked! It wasn't something I wanted to telegraph to him, though, and I concentrated on keeping my face carefully neutral. "Thank you, Treize. I will do that. May I bring some books from the library? I have ... very little else to pack."  
  
"Yes," he replied, nodding. "Prove to me that you will be staying long term, Ms. Po, and you will gather more accoutrements, I promise." He didn't look at me at all, nor was he watching Wufei. Now he was facing straight forward, looking at nothing, pensive.  
  
Working things out.   
  
"Thank you, Treize. Shall I tell Wufei to pack, as well?"  
  
"He has been told. This is his response."   
  
"Oh. I see."  
  
I could feel what Treize was doing - it was almost tangible. I realized he was working out all the possible reasons for Wufei to be acting this way, sifting and discarding and testing theories. And if what I thought was his "first guess" was true - that Wufei had simply snapped, or broken down or something due to what he did last night - why, then, perhaps Wufei wasn't the prize he initially thought. Not much mettle there at all, if that was true ... and he might have to end the game sooner than he expected. Truly disappointing.  
  
It was hard for me not to jump in the air and cheer. I had to restrain myself, though. I stood near Treize, waiting for him to release me so I could join Wufei.  
  
"You may go pack, Ms. Po. And please -" He stopped and gave me a sidelong smile, as if recalling something he wanted to confide. " - DO someday let me call you Sally. It is much friendlier, ne?"   
  
"Ah .. yes. Thank you, Treize." I turned away from him in relief and walked quickly to the door.  
  
"Ms. Po."  
  
Gods. I froze in place, my heart hammering, and slowly turned around, schooling my expression to nothing but bland, polite inquiry. "Yes...?"  
  
"I would like to leave within the hour. Do tell him to shower when you see him, ne?"  
  
He guessed, accurately, that I was going to see Wufei.  
  
I swallowed. "Yes - yes, I will." I turned and walked to the door again, hoping he wouldn't stop me. Carrying my head high, I left, trying not to give the impression I was running; that would not do at all. Probably wouldn't do to let him see me smile, either. 


	15. Chapter 14

*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Tapestry - Chapter 14  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
A vague impression of approval and respect followed me as I walked out of Treize's room. I didn't understand where that came from, though. Blinking, I walked into the hallway and quickly to the stairs, thinking about images and impressions that seemed to float out of nowhere. Very bizarre.   
  
Those thoughts were pushed out of my head, however, as soon as I walked down the stairs and through the main room. Une was there, of course, snapping orders to everyone willing to listen to her. I turned toward the bedrooms at the bottom of the staircase and practically ran to Wufei's room.  
  
I knocked on his door and pushed into the room. "Wufei....?"  
  
A large thump greeted me. "...Sally?..." he panted, staring at me from the patio.  
  
"Yes, it's me, Wufei. I just went out for a walk."  
  
He was shirtless, wearing loose, drawstring pants. I could see fine beads of sweat beaded on his forehead and on his chest; considering he kept himself in top condition, that meant he had been working long and hard that morning.  
  
"How long have you been awake and training, Wufei?"  
  
He was still breathing hard. "I ... I don't know how long," he panted. "But I've been training the entire time. What do you want?"  
  
I knew Wufei; he really was asking what I wanted, without having to gloss it over with all the social niceties. "You know that the household's going to be leaving in an hour, so-"  
  
".....it's nine already?" Shocked, he stared at me.  
  
"Well, yes. There are people everywhere in this house, packing up all sorts of things. I have very little to pack, myself, so I was hoping I could help you."  
  
Comic surprise flew across his face. " ... shit!" He stumbled through the doorway to his wardrobe, yanked some clothes off their hangers, pulled open a drawer and grabbed something from the top and jumped into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.  
  
I looked at the closed door, rolled my eyes and sighed. Apparently, that meant yes.  
  
Dragging suitcases out of his closet, I threw as many clothes as I could into them, methodically searching through every drawer and closet, packing quickly. It was odd - he had more clothes in this room than I'd ever owned in my life, but most of it wasn't anything he'd choose to wear. I stopped for a moment, looking at a black silk shirt with brilliant dragons snaking up each arm. I could see Wufei wearing this in my mind's eye, and he would look fabulous - Treize did have excellent taste - but ... it wasn't Wufei. At least, not the Wufei I knew.  
  
He also had a weapons trunk at the foot of his bed. I lifted the lid and made sure that any special swords he had were packed correctly, closed and locked it, checked to make sure the locks were secure, and dragged that trunk to the middle of the room. Gads, it was heavy.  
  
And I did not take any of the knives that were conveniently lying on top of the trunk. I resisted, knowing that was just too obvious. I mean, really - to be caught with those knives, traveling with Treize? He'd know where I found them in an instant, and that would be the end of my unsupervised visits to Wufei. Period. No questions or comments allowed. I'd probably find myself in a nice, uncomfortable cell, too.  
  
No. There would be other opportunities. I simply needed to keep my eyes open and be ready.  
  
Then I went to my room for a few minutes, packing the meager things I had - the gi, the sweater and pants set, the few pair of underwear and socks given to me and my shoes - including those sexy, strappy shoes Treize gave me for the opera. I dropped everything into a small bag that mysteriously appeared in my closet.  
I shrugged. Well .. when in Rome ...   
  
I also called Mrs. Grimm to see if she could deliver some tea and fresh fruit to Wufei's room. I knew that Wufei hadn't eaten this morning - after all, he did tell me he was up and training. In Wufei's mind, training came before food - and given the mood he was in now, I knew he hadn't eaten a thing. Food hadn't even entered the equation.  
  
Wufei was standing next to the windows, looking outside, when I walked into his room again. He had lost a little of the wildness that propelled him into the bathroom, and was standing absolutely still, clad in a dark blue tunic and pants. He turned his head when he heard me come into the room and looked at me, his eyes dark and unfathomable.  
  
"I called Mrs. Grimm and asked her to bring some tea and fruit to us," I said without preamble, walking over to his suitcase pile and putting my bag on the top. "I know you haven't eaten. You should eat something before we leave."  
  
He looked as if he was going to protest, but then changed his mind and nodded.   
  
"You've done this before, Wufei. How long is it going to take us to get ... ah ... to where we're going?"  
  
"I'm not sure," he replied, shifting his weight from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable.  
  
"Oh. All right," I said, a little puzzled. "That's fine. I was just wondering. I didn't know how long the flight was from here.."  
  
Or even in which direction we'd be going. I sighed. It was bad enough we were being moved from one location to another - which was a good policy from the captor's perspective - but not very comfortable for me. Thinking about things that weren't comfortable tweaked my memory, and I remembered something I wanted to tell Wufei.  
  
"Oh - and Wufei - Une is here. From all indications, she is coming with us, too."  
  
"Of course she is. Treize trusts her above all else - she's utterly loyal to him. I think she'd shoot herself in the head if she thought that was what he wanted."  
  
"Yes, I saw something like that this morning. Not the shooting part, however." A pity we couldn't arrange for that to happen today.   
  
Quiet knocking drew my attention back to the door. "Here you are, dear," Mrs. Grimm called, pushing the tea trolley into the room. "But you must hurry - you're leaving in fifteen minutes."  
  
"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Grimm - it's exactly what we needed."  
  
Tsking to herself, Mrs. Grimm nodded at me, turned and shook her head as she rumbled into the hallway and back to the kitchen.  
  
"We'll have to eat quickly, Wufei. You never know when you'll get the chance again today." I handed him the bowl of fruit, hoping he would pick something out of it, and not force me to choose for him.  
  
"When Treize thinks we should," he replied, his tone much too even and much too calm, blinking slowly and pulling an apple from the basket. "That's when we'll eat again." He looked at the apple in his hand and bit into the fruit, almost as an afterthought.  
  
I stopped pouring tea and just stared at him. That, without a doubt, was one of the most disturbing answers he could have given me. "To tell you the truth, Wufei - I - ah - never thought about things in quite that way." And I hoped to God I wouldn't start thinking that way, either; it was a little too scary to deal with right now.  
  
He was silent for a few minutes, chewing. Then he looked at me. "Am I crazy?"  
  
I started. "Well - no, Wufei, I don't think so."  
  
"Why?"  
  
I took a large sip of tea. "Because, to me you appear to be a perfectly normal young man in control of himself. You just have the misfortune to be the prisoner of a madman."  
  
He raised his eyebrow at me. I looked back at him and shrugged. Well, it was true - no use denying what we both knew.  
  
Insistent knocking at the door pulled my attention away from him. I put down my mug, pushed away from the table and answered the door. Several young soldiers were there, looking very formal and severe with guns slung over their shoulders, a luggage cart behind them in the hallway.  
  
I opened the door a little wider, realizing they were there to pick up our bags. "Come in, please."  
  
They appeared to stare right through me, and didn't even look at Wufei at all. Without any conversation, they came into the room, divided the luggage between themselves, grabbed either end of the weapons trunk and left. It took them about ten seconds to clear our belongings from the room.  
  
I stared at them as they left. They were Treize's Specials, all right. So well trained that they wouldn't even acknowledge either one of us. Kept their mind on their business, and that was that. Very professional.  
  
Gods. And there was a houseful of those people, surrounding us. All of them with very large guns. I suppressed a shiver.  
  
Wufei seemed distracted, looking out the window toward the paddock. Gently, I tried to get his attention. "Are you ready?"  
  
A fleeting, unsure expression darted across his face for a moment. Then he appeared to tighten his shoulders and slowly exhaled, still not looking at me. "Yes."  
  
"Come on, then. We can't keep people waiting."  
  
And we both knew who "people" meant.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
In a few minutes, we were outside the mansion, standing on the top step, looking at the limousine. Treize was standing on the steps, a little apart from the car, wearing the same expression he had when I spoke to him in the house; pensive, thoughtful, and analytical. That air of disappointment was still about him, too, as his gaze moved over to Wufei.   
  
Wufei, for his part, didn't hesitate. He scowled and marched down the steps, right to the passenger door of the limonene, right in front of Treize.   
  
Treize watched him walk down the steps, but did not follow. The general turned to me, smiled, and waved one hand graciously, indicating that I was to follow Wufei.   
  
My muscles tensed, and I made a huge effort to control the expression on my face and slow my breathing as I walked down the steps after him. I wanted to appear as calm and cool as if I did this sort of thing - walking in front of my enemy, that is - every single day of my life. Part of me was sighing in relief, as well; if Treize indicated that I was to go with Wufei, then perhaps he wasn't going to ride in this car. That was just fine with me, too, as I realized I had been dreading a trip with both of them.  
  
Walking in front of the predator was quite a bit different that actually sitting next to him. At least when you're walking, you think you have a chance at escape.  
  
My attention turned to Wufei, though, as he stood outside the passenger door, scowling. "It's locked."  
  
I blinked. That was odd - the doors had been open when I walked back to the house, not thirty minutes ago. Why on earth would someone lock the car here, of all places? Soldiers were literally marching everywhere, and there was no way someone would attempt to steal it.  
  
Treize had followed me down the steps. Now he walked past me without a glance and strode right up to Wufei with that cold, analytical, assessing look in his eyes. He held out the keys, smiling, all the time looking steadily at Wufei.  
  
This was weird. This wasn't right. It was some kind of test, I knew it - and there was nothing I could do. I felt the blood drain from my cheeks as I watched them, not saying a word.  
  
Wufei looked up at Treize, slightly puzzled. Treize raised his eyebrow, waiting; it looked as though Wufei was supposed to take the keys from him, since he certainly wasn't making any effort to give them to Wufei. Looking extremely confused, the boy reached for the keys.  
  
And the general, very deliberately, brushed Wufei's hand with his fingers, caressing his index finger and the back of his hand lightly, still watching him with that hyper analytical gaze.  
  
Wufei reacted as if he had been bitten by a snake. He yanked his hand back with a little hiss of anger and glared at Treize; I thought he was going to bare his teeth and strike at the man.  
  
Treize's eyebrows shot up; that, apparently, was a reaction that interested him.   
  
"Don't - TOUCH ME!"  
  
Now Treize's eyebrows went up further; that, coupled with what just happened, was even more interesting.  
  
Glowering, Wufei seemed to realize he was holding the keys as a weapon, ready to strike. He turned and unlocked the car door, yanked it open, hurled the keys back at Treize's face, and scrambled into the depths of the back seat.  
  
I stared at his back as he flung himself into the car, desperately hoping my face didn't give away my feelings. That was precisely the reaction Wufei should not have had. One glance at Treize was all it took to confirm my worst suspicions. His eyes were cold, assessing, weighing what he just witnessed on an invisible scale - and it seemed as if the scale had just tipped back in his favor.  
  
He stepped back from the door, politely waiting for me to get in.  
  
I toad a deep breath, bent and stepped into the car, sitting next to Wufei, praying that this episode was over.  
  
It wasn't. Treize slid into the passenger seat directly across from us. He was riding with us to the airport, after all.  
  
Depressing a button on the side of the seat, the general spoke softly into a nearly invisible speaker. "We're ready."  
  
Gods. I couldn't help staring at him; luckily, he wasn't looking in my direction. My mouth felt as dry as dust, which was a strange contrast to the sickening cold, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.  
  
"Saa ... you're angry with me for something, Wufei." His tone was gentle, but his eyes held the same gleam as a scientist doing an experiment. Leaning forward and putting one hand on Wufei's knee, he seemed the picture of earnest entreaty. "Is there something you need to tell me?"  
  
Wufei stared at him for a moment, then struck. If his hand had connected with Treize's arm, he surely would have broken the general's wrist. Treize, however, moved with a swiftness that made me blink.  
  
"Do not touch me again. EVER." Wufei glared at him, spitting out each word with an even, deadly cadence. "I know what you're up to."  
  
Now I wanted to melt back into the seat. Yes, this was absolutely the worst thing Wufei could have done, which was obvious from Treize's reaction.   
  
That disappointed edge disappeared in an instant. "'Up to,' Wufei? And what, pray tell, might that be?"  
  
Wufei was still glaring daggers at Treize, but now his face was suffused with color. "YOU know very well, Treize!"  
  
"No, Wufei, I'm afraid I don't," he replied smoothly, leaning back against the leather upholstered seat, one eyebrow raised, looking slightly amused and terribly innocent. "Exactly what IS it you are accusing me of?"  
  
Wufei's self-righteous anger slowly dissipated as his embarrassment increased. His flushed, glaring expression spoke volumes. " .... nothing," he muttered, glowering out the window.  
  
"I hope you tell me sometime, Wufei." Treize's voice was a soft purr. He affected a slightly injured expression, taking in Wufei's state in one long glance. "I would hate to leave something ... undone ... between us."  
  
Wufei opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it rapidly. He scowled, still flushed, and glowered at Treize.  
  
The general tilted his head slightly to the side, giving Wufei a questioning look, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, as if he honestly didn't know why Wufei was so distraught.   
  
Wufei pointedly turned away from him and stared out the window again, blushing all the way to his ears, refusing to look back at Treize. He had definitely lost some of the impetus he had before.  
  
Treize's expression changed again. His eyes narrowed a bit, and his smile looked slightly feline - pleased, in some way. And then he glanced at me.   
  
I stared at him, trying to act nonchalant, but feeling as if a large, bright spotlight had just been turned on me. He knew. At the very least, he knew I was involved - but I wasn't deceiving myself. I was sure he knew, or guessed, what I did with Wufei; how I helped him see what was happening, what Treize was doing - everything. Oh, he knew, all right.  
  
"Wufei," Treize said evenly. "Whatever I did - I'm sorry." There was no trace of amusement on his face; he was absolutely sincere.  
  
Wufei turned toward Treize, blinked, and stared at him. "You're what?" he snapped.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Wufei openly gaped at him. My mouth dropped open as well as I stared at him, not believing the audacity of the man.  
  
"You're ... what ...?" Wufei was less sure of himself now and was still staring at Treize.  
  
Sighing as though he was tired, Treize closed his eyes for a moment, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Wufei. I am sorry for whatever it is I have done to offend you. I assure you, it was not my intention." Pulling his hand away from his face, Treize looked at Wufei and continued, his voice lower, "Please do not make me repeat myself, as this is embarrassing enough." His body language conveyed his meaning, subtlety; that it was bad enough this misunderstanding had happened, but to have it happen in front of someone else - me - was doubly upsetting. However, he was man enough to endure that humiliation in order to make things right with Wufei.  
  
Who, by the way, looked totally confused. Again. "But ..."  
  
Treize held up one hand for silence, his expression almost stern. "Wufei. I will put up with any indignity from you, as I believe I have said your welfare is uppermost in my mind. But I have this simple request - do NOT hold things against me without first telling me what they are. I have no means to fix them, otherwise. Despite popular opinion, I am not psychic. Is that understood?"   
  
Oh, this was painful to watch. His performance was priceless, of course, but there was an undercurrent in his words and actions, a subliminal message that was becoming clearer to me by the second. I challenged him, and now he was showing me what he could do with a few well-placed words, several small, intimate gestures. He was reasserting himself with Wufei; this was a small demonstration of what he could do when he focused on a problem.  
  
Wufei shifted uncomfortably in his seat, a sullen, pouty expression on his face. Once glance at Treize - who was now looking back at him, slightly disapproving - sent his gaze scurrying away, back out the window.  
  
"I don't understand you at all," he muttered, "and I'm not answering your question. If you don't know, it's a moot point. And if you do, then ... then ... never mind." His face was scarlet again from the neck up.  
  
"Very well, Wufei," Treize sighed. "Let us put this behind us." At that point, Treize produced a manila folder, a pen and various papers from the storage bin built into the seat and started to work, not bothering to look at me at all.  
  
Drooping, I watched him scratch out something across the top of several pages; he seemed to be concentrating intently on the information in front of him. He certainly wasn't looking at me, which was a blessing; I felt rather overwhelmed, as if I had just tried to stop the tide from moving up on the shore and claiming a sand castle built close to the surf. Impossible - but I had to try. I couldn't do anything less.  
  
After a short silence, Treize did look at me. "Goodness, Sally, I am out of my mind. I am so sorry you had to witness that." He bowed to me slightly, as if apologizing for a recalcitrant child. "Hopefully, there won't be a repeat incident. Would you like some tea?"  
  
I stared at him, a familiar, if odd, feeling stealing over me. This was just ... surreal.  
  
He looked back at me, calm and possessed, a tiny, knowing smile on his lips.  
  
Forcing my mouth to work, I stammered, "I .. I would, thank you."  
  
He looked pleased; and my sixth sense, that feeling that kept me alive and moving on more than one occassion, told me why. He had pushed hard enough that I had reacted; not much, true, but enough to be noticeable, which was more than he had been able to evoke previously.  
  
He reached into the cabinet again, produced a steaming decanter and a travel mug and poured a large cup for me. "Of course. I was sure to bring some of your favorites, according to Mrs. Grimm. Here you are, Ms. Po."  
  
"Thank you," I said faintly, accepting the mug in hands that were suddenly ice cold.  
  
Treize smiled at me, his fingertips brushing the backs of my hands. My eyes widened at that, and my gaze jerked up to his. He grinned at me; mocking, teasing, I couldn't tell which - but his expression certainly didn't have the same character as the one he used with Wufei.  
  
You're not his type - remember? that little sardonic voice inside my head mocked. What, you forgot already?  
  
"Tea, Wufei?" A perfectly innocent question -   
  
"How can you OFFER me that?" he snapped, scowling.  
  
Treize sighed again. "I'm sorry, Sally. We seem to have ... regressed today, for some reason. Saa, perhaps it's the weather ..."  
  
Wufei hunched his shoulders and looked steadfastly out the window, watching the scenery.  
  
"I ... well ... it's rather nice outside, if a bit chilly .."  
  
I watched Treize deftly pour another mug, add milk and sweetener, then lean forward, holding the cup out for Wufei to take, knowing he could see it out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Wufei didn't move at all. In fact, his response was to give Treize a look that was a cross between blatant disbelief and curiosity.  
  
Treize gently tapped Wufei's knee with the mug, very innocently getting his attention. "Well ...?"  
  
I nearly spilled my own tea when I saw that move. Looking confused, Wufei considered him for a long moment, then leaned forward and accepted the mug, holding it as if it was a snake.  
  
The general sighed, leaned back into his seat and went back to work, seemingly mollified. He was even smiling to himself.  
  
Now Wufei glanced at Treize with a look that mingled confusion and hatred in equal parts, the mug squarely in his hands, untouched.  
  
And I felt thrown completely off balance. I drank my tea - perfectly brewed, by the way - and concentrated on my breathing. In, out. In, out. Calming. Peaceful, even though my thoughts were in turmoil. All my careful work with Wufei? - gone. Any planning? - done. Finished.  
  
~Saa ... just a challenge for you, Ms. Po. Not up to it?~  
  
Gods. I thought I was going to spill my tea for a second time - but this time, it would have been the mug and all slipping out of my nerveless hands onto the floor. I surreptitiously glanced at Treize's face; he wasn't even looking at me, he was concentrating on his work. He hadn't said anything to me. I had imagined it.  
  
Or had I? Pursing my lips, I thought about it. During my childhood, I had sworn up and down to my parents that I could hear what other people were thinking; but repetitions of, 'Sally Po, you're just imagining things' squelched that. Gradually, the voices fell away.  
  
Well. I had no idea what I was hearing, but anyone who challenged me deserved an answer. I sniffed, thinking I never back away from a challenge, having no idea if I was thinking just to myself, the air ... or to something else.  
  
There was a weird feeling of satisfaction around me, almost like a vibration. I looked over at Treize - he seemed to be very pleased with whatever he was reading, because this little smile just touched his lips.  
  
I leaned back and stared out the window, hoping that we would get to the airport soon.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*  
  
If I thought the ride from the mansion to the airport was tense, well - it turned out to be mild compared to the ordeal of the actual flight to the island.  
  
First, I had no idea we would be flying in a military helicopter. I had flown in them, of course, during my time in the service, and each and every time I disliked it. They were heavy, ponderous things that dipped and swirled with the air currents; the reason the military used them was twofold. They could transport a large number of troops efficiently, and they could land practically anywhere. No landing strip needed for them.  
  
When I saw the machine as we pulled onto the tarmac, my heart sank. I knew this was not going to be an easy ride for me at all. It was one of those black, sleek copters that always make people paranoid when they see them.  
  
Treize got out first, of course, then held the door open for me and even took my hand as I stepped out, acting like the perfect gentlemen. Wufei, however, opened the door on the other side of the limo himself and got out of the car. He gave me a lofty look over the top of the limo - and since he was short, that meant I could only see his eyes and the top of his head.   
  
Really, it was hard to look lofty when you were short. I looked back at him and smiled, schooling myself not to laugh at him. Wufei raised one eyebrow, appearing to be questioning and lofty at the same time - but he looked too cute to be arrogant.  
  
I heard a soft chuckle, and glanced behind me at Treize. He seemed amused by Wufei as well, and looked at him as he marched around the side of the car.  
  
"Well?" the former gundam pilot demanded, glaring up at Treize.   
  
Another soft chuckle. "This way, please."  
  
Treize turned and walked toward the helicopter, Wufei close behind him. I followed them - not quite lagging behind, but certainly not enthusiastic, either. I really was NOT looking forward to this ride in the least - even though I piloted smaller craft, which were supposed to be less stable, I disliked riding in these machines. As a pilot, you had no control over your controls at all, except on takeoff and touchdown - and I liked feeling at least nominally in control.  
  
Treize strode across the tarmac to the aircraft. Soldiers inside the helicopter opened the large bay doors and pushed a small ladder out the side of the craft, then snapped to attention, waiting for him to board. The general nodded to them, and turned back to watch both Wufei and me approach.  
  
Wufei seemed to be disdainful of his surroundings, focusing only on the path in front of him. He strode right behind Treize, his head held high, his eyes narrowed, and stopped about a meter from the machine. He turned and looked at me as well.  
  
I was uncomfortably aware of what now seemed to be EVERYone on the tarmac watching me walk up to the helicopter. Looking up at Treize, I saw an expression that was at once appealing and terrifying; he had what I found myself calling 'that cat smile' playing around his lips, and his eyes ... gah. He was back to playing, I suppose.  
  
Treize gestured for me to precede him into the helicopter.  
  
"Thank you," I said faintly, looking up at the men on board. They all had guns. Large guns. Every single one of them.  
  
"You're very welcome, Ms. Po," he purred as he waited for me to climb the ladder.   
  
I started to climb, and one of the soldiers bent down and offered me his hand to pull me up and into the machine. It was rather high, and I was grateful for the help. I was pulled into the doorway, and stood, waiting for Treize, surrounded by large military men with larger guns.  
  
Next, Treize turned to Wufei. As the boy was climbing the ladder, Treize put his hand on the small of his back to help him up. Wufei stiffened, but that was all; his expression was one of stoic endurance, a concentrated effort not to react to Treize's touch. Treize, however, looked as though he was trying not to laugh as he followed Wufei up the ladder and into the belly of the aircraft.  
  
I looked around, hoping I could find a seat where I wouldn't get sick from the motion. A sea of military fatigues surrounded me; it was obvious that all these people were Specials, members of Treize's elite team. The last time I saw so many military people was when I took the shuttle from the colonies back to Earth after I had transferred myself out of Septem's squad; and that, really, was not a pleasant memory.  
  
Treize walked easily to the far corner of the copter, where there were several padded, comfortable seats facing each other. "Who wants the window?" he asked, a teasing tone to his voice.  
  
I realized that even though he hadn't specifically said anything, he was referring to me. My palms were sweating a little. "Thank you," I murmured, and moved to the seat at the window.  
  
Treize nodded - and almost immediately, several large, burly men took every seat surrounding mine. I could hardly see around them, they were so big. Alarmed, I half rose out of my seat, looking for Wufei, realizing that Treize trapped me there, alone, on purpose.  
  
"Come along, Wufei," I heard him say. "We sit up front." And he walked off, expecting Wufei to follow him.  
  
Wufei and I stared at each other around the wall of soldiers; his lofty, superior look had been replaced by one that was genuinely spooked. His eyes were huge and dark and his face was pale, completely washed out.   
  
"...we ..." he started, still staring at me.  
  
I nodded at him, resigned. Treize had outmaneuvered both of us - again. Now that he knew that I tried to sabotage his efforts with Wufei, I assumed he was gong to try to keep us apart as much as possible. It had been a possible consequence of my actions - and one that I, admittedly, hadn't considered. Well, I was paying for it now - and so was Wufei.  
  
"Come along, Wufei." Treize's voice hissed over the intercom, barely audible over the noise of the rotors. "You must be seated before we can leave."  
  
An absolutely trapped looked covered Wufei's face as he turned to move to the front of the vessel. He had no choice and he knew it - if he didn't go there willingly, there were plenty of large soldier types who would be happy to escort him to the general.   
  
Gods. I hated this already. Buckling my seat belt, I leaned my head against the window and prayed that these huge, no-necked Specials would just go away and leave me alone for the next three hours or so.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Well, actually, that's exactly what the soldiers did. They didn't go away, but they were professionals, and they left me alone. We sat there - several very large, burly, armed to the teeth men, and me - and said not a word to each other. For a very long period of time.  
  
I had been leaning against the window with my eyes closed. I sighed, stretched, opened my eyes - and saw Treize sitting across from me, smiling.  
  
I started. Badly. I hadn't even heard the soldier move, let along Treize move in and take his place.  
  
"I'm sorry to have left you back here, Sally," he said softly, leaning forward. "But there are only two seats up in the command section, and I felt I needed to deal with his attitude now, rather than permit it to fester. He still hasn't told me what has him so upset."  
  
Right. I could see how sorry he was to dump me here, in the midst of these musclebound Neanderthals. I narrowed my eyes, the only concession I gave to the anger and disbelief that flared through me without warning. "I see," I murmured in reply, hoping my tone was indifferent. With any luck, Wufei would tell him exactly nothing.  
  
Treize favored me with a small smile and leaned forward a little more. "Don't worry," he said quietly, his voice pitched low, carrying only to my ears. "You get plenty of time alone with him as it is, and I don't really want to break him - ne?"  
  
I stared at him, nonplused, my eyes widening slightly. No. I must have misunderstood. He couldn't have said -  
  
"He has to learn he's not in a free situation," Treize continued, speaking just a little louder, conversationally. "Of course, I've been told how foolish this all is - taking you both in, trying my own hand to reform you - "  
  
Gods. No. Did he say that? I swallowed, staring right at him, feeling the blood drain away from my cheeks, trying to follow what he was saying.  
  
" -but I do - and will, no matter what anyone says - believe in the inherent goodness of man. I want to foster that, bring that out. Can that be so wrong?" Treize was looking at me, his face suffused with a passionate blaze, appealing. I felt myself drawn to him as I had never been drawn to any other speaker before; I had to make a conscious effort to disassociate myself and pull back, blinking.   
  
The soldiers around me, though, were obviously affected in the same way I was - but were not disassociating. I could feel them responding, giving off this sense, this feeling of awe just listening to him. It was spooky, and a little scary.  
  
"But ... perhaps I'm being too harsh. Perhaps I should have become a father sooner. It might have helped me to prepare for this."  
  
"Perhaps," I said guardedly. "People with children tend to want the best for them."  
  
"Exactly!" he nodded, beaming. "I want the best for him - for you! For all of us. And who am I to decide such a thing, you wonder?" His voice took on a haunted quality as he stared at his hands. "I don't have the answer to that - but I will not throw away the gift that has been given to me. I do want the best for him ... and for you. And for that, I believe I MUST be harsh, to some degree. Do you understand?" He lifted his gaze to mine, pinning me neatly with his stare, not allowing mine to drop without responding to him in some manner.  
  
And gods, he was strong. "I ... try to understand, Treize..."  
  
He nodded with a fervent, grateful, look, and touched my knee. "Thank you," he said, sincerely. "Please forgive me if I ever go too far."  
  
The soldier sitting to my left cleared his throat; not an obvious noise, but disapproving all the same, making it clear that it was beneath the general to be seen touching a prisoner like me - someone who was considered a vigilante. "Ah - of course," I murmured, I said, looking from the soldier to Treize, acutely aware of the cramped space between us.  
  
Treize gave a mild look at that soldier. "This woman is paying her debt to society, Braun," he said evenly. "I will not have her treated as a criminal. Is that clear?"  
  
Braun nodded, his lips tight.  
  
Giving me an impassioned look, Treize said, "I will come back with some lunch and tea in a bit - unless you'd prefer to wait, and take it with Wufei and me?"  
  
"Whatever is most convenient for you, Treize," I replied, automatic. I certainly didn't want to give these soldiers any other reason to hate me. They already hated me as it was. Treize had just singled out one of them because of me, and I knew the way they thought - they would NOT forget that. Not only that, Treize had set himself up as my protector, so they couldn't even retaliate as they'd like.  
  
He nodded, and gave my knee another grateful squeeze. "Take care." Looking at the soldiers surrounding me, he admonished, "And you take good care OF her."  
  
Treize left, walking back to the command section of the helicopter. The tension after he was gone was palpable. Every single soldier stared at me, anger glaring from their eyes. Not a single one spoke, and every one eyed me with complete and total disapproval, as though I was an insect they should crush underfoot. The general was obviously much too kind and generous for his own good, associating with people like me.  
  
The atmosphere was suffocating. I wished something would open up and swallow me whole. That horrid man knew what he did; he knew what affect he had on people, and he knew what kind of situation he left me in. He was simply paying me back for what I did with Wufei, and he was extremely thorough at anything he did. It was a lesson I would not soon forget.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
An hour and a half went by. By this time, I was extremely hungry, but I said absolutely nothing. I wasn't going to give anyone the satisfaction of letting them know I actually needed something. I had my pride, after all.  
  
A soldier walked back and whispered into the ear of the man across from me. He scowled and glared at me. "Come on," he said, reaching out and pulling me to my feet, none too gently. "The general wants to see you."  
  
Fortunately, the space was cramped. I was a little unsteady - had there been more room, I probably would have fallen down again. As it was, I simply tottered a little and stayed upright, then was pulled after my escort to the front of the helicopter. I stumbled a bit - I wasn't used to walking in the cramped aisles, across all the guns.   
  
Once we reached the front, it was obvious, too, that someone had to vacate their seat to for me to have a space to sit. I felt vague satisfaction at that, too. Hah, good. Those nasty Specials can just stand for all I care.  
  
But it was the arguing that caught my attention right away.  
  
"No - because then you have nothing," Wufei said, heated.   
  
"But based on what, Wufei? Surely you have a reason."  
  
"... because ..."  
  
"I don't see it in daily life. Do you?"  
  
I walked over to my seat and stood there, looking at both Wufei and Treize, deep in the throws of whatever argument they were in at the moment. Treize was sitting back, his fingers steepled, his eyes fixed on Wufei, gleaming; and Wufei, for his part, was glowering at Treize, not even looking at me.  
  
"Other people do ... even if I don't, then -"  
  
"They think they do. They also see love, ghosts, angels, aliens ..." With a negligent wave of his hand, Treize waved me to my seat as he kept his gaze on Wufei.  
  
"People have a NEED for it!"  
  
"...and?"  
  
"and if ... if it was unnecessary ... then that need would have been weeded out a long time ago."  
  
"Ah. So. Then beauty IS a proof?"  
  
Wufei looked shocked. "... shit."  
  
Treize laughed. "Checkmate, my dear boy. And you can certainly do better - that would be Duo's solution."  
  
Wufei gave Treize a sharp glare, but remained silent.  
  
"Come now, Wufei," Treize said softly. "A better answer."  
  
" ... men have a need for God, as well - and yet you say He does not exist."  
  
Treize smiled. "An excellent answer. So - does need presuppose existence?"  
  
As Wufei took a slow breath, thinking, Treize handed me a capped travel mug, filled to the brim with hot tea. "And how are you, Ms. Po?" he asked, smiling. "I hope my men are treating you well."  
  
I gave him a dry look and accepted the mug. "Ah, well - they're quite attentive, all things considered. But I'm sure that's the way they were trained."  
  
"Well," Treize replied with almost a bashful look, "I trained them myself."  
  
" ... I'm ... not sure," Wufei said, continuing his thought, his brow knit, not looking up. Both Treize and I looked over at him. "I think ... really ... that it goes back to whether one even accepts the presupposition of evolution being the be-all and and-all determiner."  
  
"Excellent, Wufei." Treize beamed at him. "And with that, we shall break for lunch."  
  
Wufei sighed, as though he had just put down weights he had been lifting and blinked at me. "Hello, Sally."  
  
I smiled at him. "Hello, Wufei."  
  
He didn't seem to have anything else to say, either; he looked exhausted.  
  
"We were discussing the existence of justice," Treize mentioned casually as he handed me a sandwich.  
  
"Oh?" I said, trying to hide my surprise. "Whether or not it exists? Or whether it exists for some?"  
  
"Ah - well. If there is to be a subject discussed, the issue at hand must be defined. Then, it must be traced to its source. Otherwise, just semantically, we could be discussing two different things. Wufei and I have been struggling to find a single, usable definition - one that applies cross culturally, and not according to situational ethics. We must define it according to the human need."  
  
I thought for a moment. "Well. You can certainly understand what you do not believe to be justice, but that does not necessarily mean that everything not in that category is justice. I, on the one hand, believe that justice is a rare thing - whereas you may see justice all around you."  
  
"Interesting," Treize said, leaning back. "And how do you define it? Is it subjective or objective?"  
  
Well, I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but I said something anyway; plus, it didn't appear as if Treize was leaping down my throat at this point. He appeared calmly interested; very laid back, pleased with the conversation; so I continued.  
  
"We like to believe we are being objective when putting systems in place - for example, the justice system that exists today. We choose penalties for transgressions, weight them, and try to mitigate the chastisement with mercy when possible."  
  
"So - are you saying that justice exists in the courtroom?"  
  
I gave Treize an even look. "No. I've said no such thing."  
  
"Ah, sou - forgive me. Continue." He sipped his tea and watched me.  
  
"Even when we are choosing what actions deserve punishment and which do not, we believe we are being objective. But are we?"  
  
"That would be my question," Treize observed, smiling. "And if we are subjective ... then can there BE something called 'justice?' It would simply be 'opinion.' Or so we have been debating."  
  
"Possibly, though there are intrinsic pieces that must be considered. For example - do people have a fundamental right to liberty? or is that a privilege granted to them by parties in power?"  
  
Wufei was silent during this exchange, eating his lunch, watching both of us.  
  
"An excellent question - and you see why we must define these things, especially since the concept seems to differ from culture to culture."  
  
I smiled. "That depends, of course, under which political system one lives."  
  
Treize nodded. "Exactly. So - conclusions? Have you any?"  
  
"Well - should you have the misfortune to live under a despot, your liberty is not your own."  
  
"Depending, of course, on how one defines liberty. There are those who define it as 'the right to act according to the laws of your people.'"  
  
I nodded, conceding his point. "Yes, that is true. So does that mean that the majority rules? or do you try to attain consensus? or use coalitions?"  
  
Treize looked thrilled, his eyes gleaming. "Ah, yes, but Ms. Po - in any of those cases you just mentioned, you are using one very basic assumption."  
  
I felt caught, but I couldn't see the trap. "And that is ...?"  
  
He smiled, his eyes sparkling at me. "That man even has rights. You assume it because you enjoy them - you wish for them. We all do. But on what basis can we possibly claim to have them? I am not saying we don't have them - I am asking. What do you think, Ms. Po?"  
  
I stared at him for a moment, gathering my wits. "Conversely ... on what basis can we claim NOT to have them?"  
  
"Because we decide what has them and what does not on a regular basis. We have reasons, such as sentience, to govern our decisions. Dogs have rights. Grass does not. But on what do we decide even that? We wish and argue for rights because we desire them. But that - means little."  
  
I swallowed. "If I understand you correctly - you are saying that what I take to be a fundamental right - my right to exist - may not be a right at all. Is that correct?"  
  
Treize nodded. "Correct. After all, the assumption that you have rights assumes such a thing as free will - and we tend to define this because we WANT them. Is it possible to look objectively, rather than subjectively, at such things? They determine how we behave - but only if we act on what we believe - ne?   
  
And there was the dangerous ground, right in front of me. Quicksand - and there was no way around it. I could do nothing but tell the exact truth, the way I saw it.  
  
"Unfortunately, I do not see any other way to act," I said quietly. "Acting on one's beliefs seems to be the most - honest - way of dealing with life."  
  
Treize looked at me and gave me a small smile. I don't know how I could tell, but it was a much more appreciative smile than I had seen in the entire time I had been under his care.   
  
"And that is what I like about you, Ms. Po," he said softly, his eyes bright. "You are ... honest."  
  
I shrugged. "I cannot be something I am not, Treize."  
  
"Of course not - most of us cannot. Those who act in a way they do not believe are doomed to fail. It is - a weakness."  
  
Wufei looked up sharply and stared at Treize, his face pale - in fact, he looked rather upset. Treize, though, did not appear to notice, and was looking directly at me, smiling.  
  
I blinked, and turned Treize's last phrase over in my mind again. Belatedly, I heard Trowa's words of yesterday in my mind and considered the impact of what Treize just said on Wufei's psyche. As I turned toward Wufei, Treize was one step ahead of me, concern lacing through his words as he looked over and said, "Wufei ... are you all right?"  
  
But Wufei wasn't there. He had already left his seat and was pushing his way to the back of the vessel.  
  
Treize sighed and looked back at me. "He has so much conflict."  
  
I could barely speak, staring in blind anger at the general, realizing how he had used me yet again to get to Wufei. "He ..."  
  
Nodding, Treize continued. "Yes, I know, he will tear himself apart. I do not think he believes in justice, Ms. Po. And yet ... he came here to find it, poor child. I can see why there was a war. So many people are so confused ..."  
  
"That is true. So many of them are so confused because the truth of things is deliberately obscured," I snapped, staring at him, not bothering to hide what I felt. "They don't appreciate the truth because they cannot see it for the clutter thrown in their way."  
  
Treize nodded, his eyes closed, a pensive, beautiful look on his face. Opening his eyes, he looked right at me. "I want to help him - and, I believe, so do you. I wish I could help them all."  
  
I heard muttering from the cockpit behind me; turning, I saw the soldiers not concentrating on the instrumentation glaring at me, muttering about how some people don't deserve all the help they're being given. I whirled back to look at Treize; controlling my glare, I realized I had just been given yet another little demonstration.   
  
Right. Least I forget, he had trained them ALL. Every single one of them belonged to him. Gods.   
  
"How close are we, gentlemen?"  
  
"About fifteen minutes, sir."  
  
"Ah." Treize nodded, then smiled at me. "Perhaps we should all go back to our seats? I'll go and tell Wufei." He patted me on my shoulder as he passed me on the way to the aft section of the helicopter.  
  
I sighed, got up from my seat, and slowly tripped back to my original seat with all the large, loyal, male soldiers. Feh, feh, feh.  
*^*^*^*^*^* 


	16. Chapter 15

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
Tapestry - Chapter 15  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Normally, flying was a pleasant experience for me, whether I was piloting or not. I loved sitting by the window, too; takeoffs and landings were my favorite parts of any flight. There were exceptions to every rule, though ...  
  
Right now I was strapped into my seat by the window, silent and angry, surrounded by a squad of Treize's armed elite Specials. Pressing my forehead against the tempered glass, I looked out over the ocean. All I could see, in any direction, was water - in fact, the ocean stretched out forever, everywhere.  
  
My heart sank. Unless I stole a plane or a ship - and given the fact that it was Treize's Specials, not just the regular military that guarded the vehicles on this island - I figured that the odds of my getting off the island with Wufei unnoticed were probably a million to one.   
  
I felt the attitude of the aircraft change; now we were making our final descent. Peering through the window at an angle, I could see our destination just appearing over the far horizon. As we approached, I was able to get a better view, and it did look lovely. Crescent shaped with a natural bay in the middle, the island had several larger finger islands at either end. There were palm trees, green grass and other types of vegetation screening its undeveloped parts. A large, sprawling mansion covered much of the property in the middle of the island, with several pools, tennis courts and gardens scattered along its boundaries. Paths leading to the marina, the beaches and other buildings crisscrossed haphazardly. There were roads circling and connecting other buildings and marinas, and what looked like several small bridges connecting several smaller islands.   
  
The helicopter banked, and my view of the island changed to a view of the sky. Moments later we touched down on the central landing pad. All the soldiers stood up, grabbed their packs, duffel bags and weapons and exited the helicopter as quickly as possible. I stayed where I was, trying to make myself as small as possible to avoid the crush of people leaving at the same time. As soon as most of the soldiers left, I bolted out of my seat and went in search of Wufei.  
  
I found him in the forward section, still sitting in his seat, not even aware we had landed. Treize wasn't with him, though; his seat was empty. I had nothing but harsh, angry thoughts for that man; the only thing he could do was get the poor boy completely upset and confused, and then leave him alone? What a complete and total jerk.  
  
"Wufei - Wufei, we've landed. It's time for us to go. We need to leave the helicopter now ..."  
  
He blinked slowly at me. " ... oh," he said, his voice weak and strained. "We're back home."  
  
"Yes," I nodded. "We're on the island." Home? I wondered, watching him with a critical eye. Does he really think of this as home? Cautiously, I patted his arm, remembering how sensitive he was to touch. "Are you ready to leave?"  
  
He closed his eyes for a moment. "I wish I could die," he murmured softly, then stood up.  
  
"No, Wufei," I said, thoroughly alarmed, "don't say that. I - I don't know what I would do here without you."  
  
Blinking slowly, Wufei looked at me with wide, dark eyes.  
  
"Please," I appealed, "please don't say that. I would be here all alone - " and I stopped, leaving the next part unsaid, biting my lip, looking at him - "and I don't know if I could bear it ..."  
  
"I ... don't know if I can be what you need, Sally," Wufei said, looking slightly helpless. "I just don't know ..."  
  
"Yo! Move it, willya? We have a schedule to keep here!" One of the larger soldiers muscled his way towards the cockpit, intent on dislodging both Wufei and I from our positions in front of the seats. He was actually successful in tossing me to one side; I stumbled in the aisle, glaring at him.  
  
"Mueller!" Treize's voice carried through the command section, cutting and sharp. "Do not bark at my guests. Follow your orders, and leave them alone."  
  
My head snapped around; I looked for Treize, but he wasn't in the command section at all. Uneasily, I peered down the aisle into the other section, but I didn't see him there, either. He was watching us, and we couldn't see him? Gads ... yet another way to feel unsettled and edgy.  
  
"Yessir," the soldier said, snapping to attention, his entire demeanor changing in an instant.  
  
Wufei glared at the soldier as he helped me back to my feet. "Inside," he said under his breath. "We'll discuss it inside."  
  
I gave him a quick nod and headed for the bay doors, intent on getting out of this machine as soon as possible. Treize was just outside the doors and smiling up at me from the tarmac, the breeze ruffling his hair. Several other soldiers were there as well, unloading baggage from one of the forward compartments of the helicopter.   
  
"Welcome to Shioyake Island, Ms. Po," he said, smiling, as he reached up and caught me around the waist. "Here, let me help you." And without another word, he smoothly and easily lifted me out of the helicopter and into the air. I clutched at his shoulders and looked down into his smiling face, realizing again just how strong he was and how broad his shoulders were.  
  
"Thank - thank you very much," I stammered, my eyes wide and my feet dangling off the ground. I was never going to get used to being handled so much by this man; and I had the sneaking suspicion that he did it on purpose, just to get a reaction.   
  
"You're quite welcome, Ms. Po," he murmured as he set me down gently on the tarmac, an amused twinkle in his eye.  
  
Wufei had already hopped out of the aircraft on his own and was hurrying toward the mansion. I took a deep breath and followed him, walking away from the helicopter and toward the main house, trying to get my bearings. Military presence aside, I was amazed at how much more relaxed the atmosphere was here than it was at the other property in Luxembourg. It was warmer and brighter, much more open; and while the vegetation wasn't abundant, the palm trees moving in the breeze and the low scrub bushes certainly made it feel restful, more inviting.   
  
I took a deep breath, and felt myself smiling a little. Actually, as much as I didn't want to, I could see why Wufei would want to think of this as home.  
  
My smile died on my lips as I looked a little farther up the walk and saw Lady Une. She was standing to one side of the path, looking beyond me, her hair pulled to the back of her head so tightly I was sure the circulation to her brain had actually ceased. She appeared to be holding her breath, and was even holding one gloved hand at her throat.  
  
"... sugoi...." she breathed softly, her eyes moist and large, staring at something behind me.  
  
"Lady Une?" I asked, giving her a weird look. When she didn't answer, I turned and followed her gaze.  
  
She was staring at Treize. Fortunately, Treize was quite unaware she was staring at him - and in Une's defense, I must say that he did look like one of those incredibly handsome Italian / Greek models, staring off into the distance with his shirt billowing against him in the soft ocean breeze, sunlight dancing in his hair. He looked absolutely magnificent - gods, the sight even made me stare. It occurred to me, too, that there was no artifice here - he wasn't posing for a photograph, or for effect, or for any other reason - he was simply looking at the opposite end of the island. This was the real Treize, inasmuch as that cold, calculating, analytical person who had carried me into my room yesterday was the real Treize. He wasn't trying to be like this; it was as natural to him as breathing.   
  
I shook my head and looked at Une again. Now this poor woman was doing something even odder; she reached up and touched one of the tight twists in her hair, and looked sad, just so sad as she gazed at Treize for a long moment, unguarded. Then she shifted her gaze to me - and that mournful, sad, expression turned into something sharper and more pointed in an instant, something that I couldn't place right away - which then turned to hatred, an expression I definitely recognized.  
  
"Get inside," she hissed at me. "You're keeping Lord Treize waiting."  
  
I blinked at her and shrugged, then turned back to the path and started walking again. Une, nasty to me? Well, gee, what a surprise.   
  
But then I thought about it in context, and frowned. Good gods ... was she ... jealous? No ... that wasn't possible. Did she think I was a threat to Treize? I almost laughed out loud; now that was ludicrous. Me - a threat to Treize? Gods, that was funny ... I was so involved with my own thoughts that I hardly noticed the scrabbling noise on the path in front of me.  
  
That is, until I looked up and saw the huge, black attack dogs looming in front of me, blocking my way to the main house, standing shoulder to shoulder. They were a literal phalanx of canines with long, evil-looking teeth and powerful, deep chests. Their eyes gleamed and shone as they stared at me and, as one, they made low, threatening, rumbling noises in their chests.   
  
I stopped dead.   
  
They started growling.  
  
I stopped breathing.  
  
It felt as though my heart stopped beating in my chest, too. The only thing I didn't stop doing was staring. I clenched my hands into fists to keep them from shaking, too.  
  
A loud, commanding whistle sounded behind me. Immediately, the dogs morphed into puppies and bounded past me, barking happily. I stared and panted and nearly collapsed with relief; I thought I was dead for sure. Turning slowly, I saw Treize down on one knee, surrounded by the creatures, smiling and petting them, talking to them and dipping into his pockets and giving them treats. The dogs, for their part, were acting just like small puppies, whining and barking and bounding about and licking his face, eager to please.  
  
I, on the other hand, was ready to crawl away from there; I wasn't proud. I didn't care how I got away, just as long as I was able to escape the dogs in one piece. Backing away slowly, I had just turned and was ready to bolt for the house when his voice stopped me in mid stride.  
  
"Sally! Come here, please. I'd like you to meet my friends."  
  
That was not a request. Unwillingly, I turned all the way around and walked back to him as slowly as I dared, finally standing stiffly a pace or two in front of him, waiting. I tried to look patient and nonchalant, but I knew I wasn't fooling him in the least. Those dogs scared me to death.   
  
Treize glanced at me; very gently, he reached up, took my arm above the elbow and pulled me down to kneel next to him. Now my head was next to his, and his was on the same level as the dogs'. We were looking right at the muzzle of the nearest Doberman, who had thoughtfully pulled his lips back so I could see all his teeth. Treize gave me a sideways glance, then turned his attention back to the dogs. He clearly annunciated "Friend," holding my arm still and his head close to mine.  
  
I gave a little involuntary tug at my arm. He had a grip of steel. Neither one of us moved a centimeter.  
  
The dogs panted and sniffed at me, curious and suspicious, their eyes an odd color I had never seen before, something like a yellow ginger brown.  
  
"Saa ... they just need to see me with you, you see?"  
  
Treize continued to hold me with one hand, not allowing me to draw back, while petting his dogs with his other hand. I was close enough to get a very good look at them; not only did they have long, pointed teeth, but their jaws appeared to be incredibly strong. One dog could rip a man's arm to shreds. I tried to smile a little, but I knew it came out like a grimace.   
  
"As long as you don't go out at night, they'll treat you as my associate. I wouldn't advise running around without me after dark, however," Treize said lightly. "They're well trained."  
  
"Oh," I breathed, "Oh ... no ... I understand ... completely ..." I trailed off, still staring at the dogs, getting very spooked.  
  
Gently, Treize stood and pulled me to my feet with him. "In we go," he said, steering me toward the house, transferring the hand on my arm to the small of my back, waving the dogs away with his other hand.  
  
Frankly, I was so happy to be away from the dogs that that I hardly noticed his guiding hand on my back. Now I had an image of Zechs running for his life in my head, across the manicured lawns toward the sea, followed closely by a pack of large dogs. Those animals would show no mercy, either.  
  
I was forcing myself to take deep, calming breaths, looking at the flagstone path in front of me. In, out. In, out.   
  
"...Ms. Po?"  
  
I looked up, and belatedly realized Treize had been speaking to me, but that I had missed it, trying to calm myself down. "Ah - yes? I'm sorry, Treize - you were saying?"  
  
He smiled at me, tilting his head. "We have clothing here for you - bathing suits and such. There are no sharks or jellyfish near these beaches. The water here is lovely for swimming; not too hot, nor too cold. And the temperature here is ideal."  
  
"Ah ... well," I ventured, a little unsure. "It seems ... very nice. And I do like palm trees." That, really, was an understatement. It was a dream vacation island, and I knew it - the temperature was balmy and perfect, the sun was shining - all in all, it looked like paradise.  
  
Well, of course, the little, mocking voice inside my head said, if you think paradise comes with large, no-necked men with guns, then this is the place for you.   
  
"I much prefer it here myself," Treize continued. "It is not so dark, or dreary, or cold as Europe can be. And although this is my 'home away from home,' I do feel it is my home - and you are welcome here." He gave me a warm smile, looking down at me.  
  
"Ah ... thank you very much," I said, forcing a smile back. I was trying to match his mood, but really - while he might think of this as his 'home away from home,' it certainly wasn't mine by choice. Also, my psyche was slow to recover from that little 'incident' with the dogs, especially when it seems as if there was something transacted that I knew nothing about.  
  
"You have a computer in your room," he said as he led me up the stone walk to the main house.   
  
Odd things you notice, too, when you're in situations not of your own making; the stone walk was lined with seashells of all different types, which I thought was rather whimsical. I was thinking about that when his words penetrated my thoughts. "A - a computer? Why ... thank you." I also had the grace to feel embarrassed; I needed to pay closer attention to what he was saying, as opposed to the flagstone path.  
  
"Of course, Ms. Po. You have an internet connection as well, although I fear it's not very fast."  
"Oh ... I'm sure it's quite adequate for anything I need to do," I said quickly, trying to make up for my previous lack of attention. My brain was spinning, as well. An internet connection? That actually brought the world to me, here, out in the middle of nowhere. Convenient, but ... why would he do that?  
  
"I hope you'll at least continue your education - perhaps broaden it a bit," Treize said as we climbed the steps to the mansion. "I don't want you to stagnate." He reached for the door and pulled it open, looking at me. "You will be here for quite a while, as will I. I wish for you to make the best use of your time. You should consider this ... not quite a vacation. Perhaps an educational one?"  
  
I looked at him, frowning. "What do you mea......"  
  
Treize smiled down at me. "As in ... what some people do when they finish their doctorate. But of course, you already HAVE one of those ..."  
  
And then it hit me - I realized exactly what he meant. I was very still as I looked at him. A breeze passed over and around me, and felt wonderful, but it didn't matter. I would be there for years, probably decades. No matter how genteelly he spoke, no matter how winning his words, reality said this was where I was going to spend a large part of the rest of my life. Not only that, I was going to be spending that time ... with him.  
  
There were no words to describe what I felt at that moment.  
  
"Oh. Yes. I see," I said softly, turning and looking back down the path toward the helicopter. lt was my last link with the mainland, with freedom ... with my old life. I watched as mechanics scurried around, thrusting refueling lines into it, getting it ready to fly again.  
  
"Maa .... I don't mean to depress you, Ms. Po, please believe me. I am trying to make it more pleasant for you - as pleasant as I can. Forgive me." Treize was surprisingly gentle, and seemed to be genuinely trying. It was so hard for me to distinguish when he was actually sincere.  
  
I sighed, still looking in the direction of the landing pad. He did get me released from prison into his custody, after all. He didn't have to do that. I was trying to look on the positive side of the situation, ignoring Wufei's plight for the moment. "I ... appreciate your efforts, Treize. I understand you are doing what you can."  
  
"We are still going to the opera on Friday."  
  
I looked up at him quickly. " ... we ... are?" I frowned. "But - how?"  
  
Treize smiled at me. "By boat. Much better than helicopter - ne?"  
  
"I - I suppose it is, yes," I said, giving him an unsure smile.  
  
Treize pointed. "Naples is two hours in that direction, by boat."   
  
I reacted in spite of myself. "Naples? We're going to the opera in Naples? To the Theater San Carlo, Rossini's favorite?"  
  
Treize smiled indulgently, rather like a father giving out treats. I could have kicked myself for sounding so eager. "Yes, Ms. Po. We're going to the opera in Naples. And I ... well. I did something I hope you'll like."  
  
I looked up at him, puzzled. Something strange was happening, for sure, because - I could hardly believe it - Treize Khushrenada was blushing? I blinked, waiting for him to continue.  
  
"I have taken the liberty of choosing a dress for you," he said, watching me. "I hope that is all right. I think my taste is not horrendous."  
  
That took me completely by surprise. "Oh ... no, Treize. I'm sure it will fit - er, be - perfect." Color rose in my cheeks as well as I wondered, first, how he could have possibly decided what my proportions were, then second, realized someone had already taken then. How else had underwear magically appeared for me the second day of my confinement?  
  
"Would you like to see?" he asked, beaming as he ushered me into the house.  
  
"Oh, yes - I would, indeed!"  
  
I closed my eyes briefly as I walked into the house, thinking again how I sounded like an extravagant, idiot schoolgirl eager to see a dress instead of a grown woman. Control, Sally, control, I told myself, allowing Treize to take me through the large foyer and up the main staircase. Everything was lighter here, the decor was French provincial instead of the heavy European interior design of Luxembourg; there were ceiling fans everywhere, the surroundings were more open and airy. It was altogether a different feel, a totally different atmosphere.  
  
He led me up the staircase to the second floor, to a corner bedroom that was absolutely beautiful. It had an incredible view of the sea, a long, wrapped balcony, and a breeze that moved softly through two open French doors. This room felt like a woman's room; it was much larger than my room in the other house, and was painted in soft, subtle color. And carefully laid out on the bed was a beautiful blue dress, the same color as my eyes. It was shimmering, form fitting ... and devastatingly gorgeous. I had hardly ever seen anything like it, let alone worn anything like it.  
  
"Simple, but ... I think it works. And black is SUCH a dreary color, ne? I do hope this is acceptable."  
  
I picked the dress up gingerly by its spaghetti straps, smiling involuntarily. "It's - beautiful," I breathed, letting the material move through my fingers like liquid, thinking it had been years since I had worn anything that remotely resembled it.  
  
Smiling a little, I looked up to see Treize watching me - and I realized I was almost caressing the dress. "Eh ... thank you ... very much," I stammered, feeling myself blush to the roots of my hair.  
  
Treize smiled; and I don't know how I knew it, but I realized he had stopped viewing me in dislike. What happened to cause that, I wasn't sure, but I knew that something had happened.  
  
"You are very welcome, Ms. Po."  
  
"Sally ... please," I said, almost inaudibly, quickly looking back at the dress, blinking.  
  
"Of course, Sally. Whatever you wish." There was no note of triumph in his voice, which was gratifying. I stole a glance over in his direction; he was looking at his watch. He murmured, "I have a business meeting tonight. Would you do me the favor of staying with Wufei while I'm away, Sally? He is - unhappy."  
  
I was still handling the dress and frowned slightly, remembering Wufei's upset and confusion earlier that day. "Of course, Treize. Where is his room?"  
  
Treize smiled warmly at me, like I was a friend, a valued confidant. "You can see it from here," he said, walking onto the balcony and beckoning for me to follow him.  
  
I followed him, laying the dress on the bed, curious and a little guarded.  
  
"His room is on the first floor, over there," Treize said, pointing down and to the left, "and mine is there." He pointing up and to the right, indicating a large, wraparound balcony attached to a corner room.  
  
I turned, looking at the different rooms, and then looked out at the beach, my attention drawn to Wufei. He was training, punching and slicing the air as hard and as angrily as he could, the same as he did that morning.   
  
Treize gave a slow sigh, shaking his head slightly. "He hides too easily in that," he said, his voice soft. "And yet ... not easily enough. I do believe we have a lot of work ahead of us, Sally."  
  
I looked over at him quickly, and then out to Wufei's solitary form, practicing again. Sighing, I silently agreed with him - but probably not for the same reasons.  
  
Treize reached over and patted me on the back, a friendly gesture. "Please - feel free to enjoy. Wufei knows the rules of the house - he'll tell you whatever you need to know. Oh, and here - "  
  
As I watched, he bent over the desk, took a piece of stationary and the fountain pen, and wrote down a number. "This is my personal satellite phone number," he said, folding the paper and handing it to me. "I keep it on all the time. For emergencies, you know."  
  
"Why ... thank you, Treize," I said, accepting the paper from him. "I appreciate it." I slid my gaze around the room quickly - I didn't see a phone sitting out, but that didn't mean there wasn't a phone in the room.  
  
"You're quite welcome, Sally," he replied, smiling. "Now - I must go. Good night, if I do not see you." He bowed slightly from the waist, formal and regal at the same time, smiling at me in a way that made my heart beat a little faster and left, closing the door softly behind him.  
  
Insane, Sally Po. You're simply insane, I thought as I stared at the closed door.   
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It was a very small island. And I mean a VERY small island.  
  
It didn't take long for me to shower, dress, and grab new clothes from the already stocked drawers in my room. It was amazing, too - these drawers had clothes that were just the right size for me, as well. I decided to let my hair dry on its own - I just left it loose around my shoulders, and went out in search of Wufei. I made sure I brought my cellphone, too; just because I was in a place that felt comfortable didn't meant it wasn't dangerous.  
  
There wasn't much security to speak of; the stray soldier here and there, a visible reminder that this was a military base, after all. I knew there were more of them around, though; they were simply too well-trained to be blatantly out in the open. I walked outside the house, into the open air, and it struck me again - this place was a virtual paradise. The temperature was balmy, the breeze was soft, and the heat from the sun, even while the sun was setting, was strong and comfortable.  
  
I left the house, and started walking to where I last saw Wufei practicing. The sand was soft, and the beach stretched as far as I could see on either side. I realized, as I picked my way down to the sea that there was literally room for the house, the military base, a little open land and some tennis courts on the island - and that was it. Nothing else.   
  
Nothing like being cozy and close with each other for the rest of our lives.  
  
I topped a small rise, and saw Wufei down by the water's edge. I was close enough, now, that I could see he had worked himself into a sweat; he had sand sticking all over him. Stopping about a meter away, I called to him. "Wufei?"  
  
He didn't respond; in fact, he didn't even acknowledge me.  
  
"Oi, Wufei! Over here!"  
  
Stopping for a moment, Wufei turned toward me, panting. "Yes?"  
  
Gads, I had his attention - NOW I had to do something with it. Thinking fast, I remembered something I thought was odd when I was in the shower. "I have a question for you. About the water here."  
  
"Artesian," he puffed out, working hard. "There used to be a land bridge here. It's still here, but -" puffing again " - under twenty feet of water." He kept punching and kicking, taking breaths as he could and speaking to me. "Freshwater. Feeds the palm trees and grass. It's the water source."  
  
"Everything here is freshwater?"  
  
He nodded, gasping a little. "Yes - it's a volcanic area."  
  
"That's why there are no sharks? It's - volcanic?" I stared at him, nonplused for the second time that day. Thermal energy was a tremendous energy source.  
  
As if he read my mind, Wufei said, panting, "He's ... using it - the volcano - for power." Waving his hand in the air vaguely, he said, as if explaining everything, "No wires. Tapped into thermal heat. Treize designed it." Now the boy was bent over, his hands on the tops of his knees, gasping slowly. I looked at him, trying to figure out if he was trying to work himself into exhaustion or not.  
  
"It's - a - military base," he said between breaths, "..but ... it ... isn't used as much ... in peacetime. More... of an ... out of the way ... base."  
  
I was getting worried; Wufei was trembling now, a reaction from all the exercise.  
  
"I have to go cool off," he said, his voice rough. He straightened, turned, and walked right into the ocean, not looking left or right, finally diving under the small waves and surfacing a little farther out from shore.  
  
Stretching, I sat down in the sand and rested back on my elbows, digging my heels in the sand, and let my mind wander a little. There really was no way off of this island, unless it was by plane or powerboat. Perhaps a minisub, but I didn't see any subs docked near us.   
  
I watched Wufei swim for a while, concerned. He had swum out a long way, and it looked as though he was struggling to get back. I was ready to get up and help him back when I saw he was in manageable water. His gasping sounded painful as he came back on shore; now he was shaking from head to foot.  
  
"Where did Treize go?" he asked, ignoring the large towel I offered him.  
  
"He said he had a meeting he had to attend tonight," I said, standing, brushing sand off my legs. "He asked if you and I would have dinner together."  
  
"... oh ..." Wufei looked disappointed as he stood in front of me, panting and dripping on the sand.  
  
"I hope that's all right," I said, looking at him closely. "I was rather hoping it was ... since I'm pretty hungry again, and I don't know where to go to get any food."  
  
"Whatever," he shrugged. Still panting, he started off toward the house. I stayed closed to him, letting him set the pace. He looked as though he was going to fall over. He had worked himself to the brink of exhaustion; his muscles were trembling, his eyes were dilated, and he was in no condition to talk.   
  
Casually, I slung the large towel across his shoulders as we walked toward the house. The few soldiers we passed on the way hardly gave us a second look; apparently, he had done this before, and they didn't see any reason for concern.  
  
We walked in silence for several more minutes, until we came to an outside door to the sunroom. "Which way, Wufei?" I asked, holding the door open for him. "Where's your room?"  
  
"This way." He pointed a trembling hand across the room in a generally eastern direction. "If ... if you want some food now ... I have some. In my room."  
  
I looked at him, and decided. "Ah - excellent. That would be great!" I said, smiling.   
  
He nodded and set off diagonally across the floor, obviously forcing himself to walk evenly.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Wufei's room had a completely different feel than mine - it was definitely masculine, and very modern Chinese. I sighed, feeling extremely comfortable, although I doubted whether Wufei was. He struck me as more of a traditionalist.  
  
"There," he said, pointing at a large fruit basket sitting on a table on his patio. "Eat some of that." Without another word, he dove into his drawers, pulled clothing from them and walked into the attached bathroom, closing the door behind him.   
  
I sighed and chose a large apple from the basket, then decided to wander around his room while I waited for him to finish his shower. A large, wooden trunk caught my eye - it looked like an antique, pushed into a corner of the room, very unobtrusive. I knelt down next to it and opened it - and sure enough, it was what I suspected - another weapons chest, full to the brim with weapons of every type, all neatly sorted and cataloged, no doubt. Another test from Treize, I thought sourly, I was sure. Test them once, and test them again. See if they remember.   
  
The sounds from the shower stopped. I pulled the trunk lid closed, making sure that each piece was in its proper place, then walked back and sat down in one of the large chairs in front of the French doors, eating my apple.   
  
Wufei came out of the bathroom, wearing clothing that belonged more to ancient China than modern China. He did look a little better - at least now he wasn't shivering.   
  
He sighed as he automatically tossed his clothes into a hamper in his closet, then straightened as he closed the doors. "What would you like to do?" he asked, turning to me.  
  
I gave him a rueful smile. "Leave?"   
  
"Un," he replied with a weak smile of his own, sinking down into the chair opposite mine. He looked tired; and really, I wasn't surprised. He had worked himself nearly to the brink of exhaustion twice today. What surprised me was that he was still awake.  
  
I sighed. "Well ... I don't know. Talk for a little while, if you're up to it."  
  
He blinked slowly, his dark eyes fixed on mine. "... talk? About what?"  
  
Shaking my head slightly, I looked out beyond his patio to the sea. "About ... how you've survived here for such a long time ... and still have your wits about you."  
  
Puzzled, Wufei looked at him. "What are you talking about, Sally?"  
  
I took a deep breath. It was now or never; and as far as I was concerned, it needed to be now. I drew my gaze back to him. "Wufei - do you remember how you felt about OZ before you were captured?"  
  
"Yes." His brow was knit as he regarded me.  
  
"And ... do you feel the same way now?" I looked back to the sea again. "I remember the way I felt then. I felt as if I was fighting for the rights of people everywhere - "  
  
"Yes." Wufei nodded, agreeing, his lips tight. "We were. We are." He didn't sound convinced, though. Either something had been lost, or it had never been there.   
  
I plowed on, heedless of that discovery. " -for their right to live and survive wherever they chose, without someone telling them what they could and could not eat for breakfast." I scowled at the sea. That was a particular sore point with me, and it showed.  
  
"Sally - he does that to us because we're his prisoners. He won the right to do so. He does not do that to the rest of the world - they wouldn't have him if he did. They're not that stupid. He's being lighter than the Alliance ever was; he's taking control via economical means, rather than purely political means."  
  
"Wufei." I gave him a level stare. "Controlling the money, and where it goes, and who gets it, it exactly the same. You're still playing God. You still decide who lives and who dies."  
  
"No," he corrected, "you're playing King. It's like the emperors of old, and the people are accepting it."  
  
"Yes, I know the people are accepting it." I was amazed and angry and despondent at the same time. "And I don't know what to do about it, Wufei."  
  
"The people are idiots," he snorted. "I'm not doing this for them."  
  
"Wait a minute." I grinned at him. "You just told me not two minutes ago that people weren't stupid." My enthusiasm faded with my grin. " ... but ..."  
  
"They think they're not," Wufei responded, shaking his head. "The world thinks they are not. But I know they are."  
  
I nodded. "It's true, too. Most people will simply follow the path of least resistance - the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, the easiest is usually not the best, nor the healthiest."  
  
"He has fooled them into thinking that doing what they want equals freedom," Wufei muttered, his tone dark.  
  
I stared at him. "I - I know that. And I truly don't know how to undo that."  
  
"We can't," Wufei said flatly.   
  
I shook my head, emphatic. "No, Wufei. I don't want to believe that. I have to believe there is a way -"  
  
"There isn't."  
  
I was stubborn. " -but we just haven't found it yet-"  
  
"No. There. Is. Not." Intransigent, Wufei stared back at me. "There never would have been the need for a war if man were capable of such things, Sally. He is not now. He never will be."  
  
"Capable ... of handling freedom?" I asked slowly, feeling my way along, wondering whose voice I was hearing.  
  
"Capable of understanding anything," he said, weary.   
  
"But, Wufei," I said, passionate, "we are capable of understanding. And something I think about is - what kind of world are we leaving for our children? Are we leaving them a benevolent despot who, when he dies, will finally plunge the world into chaos, because no one's become mature enough to understand freedom? Can we truly say that taking decisions out of the hands of the common people is for their own good?"  
  
"We are leaving the world the same as when we inherited it from our parents," Wufei said, tired. "Populated by idiots, ruled by evil men. It has always been thus." His head flopped back onto the back of his chair and he closed his eyes; he reminded me strongly of the boy I met in the forest of China, defeated. At least this time, though, he was talking.  
  
"But what right do we have to NOT fight something that we know is inherently wrong?" I asked, pressing on.  
  
"Do we?" he wondered.  
  
I nodded. "Yes. We do."  
  
He looked at me for a long moment. "... you do."  
  
I gazed back at him. "I do," I amended. "And ... you will know yourself soon enough."  
  
"I have never known, Sally," he murmured, looking at the tabletop, his eyes half lidded thoughtfully, his eyelashes throwing small shadows across his cheeks in the waning sunlight. "I don't see why I would know now."  
  
"It's a function of growing older, you see. Certain things that were unclear years ago become a little less ... muddy."  
  
Now Wufei gave me an annoyed stare - which actually was good, because it meant he wasn't as depressed as he was several moments ago. "Don't assume," he said, his tone slightly acerbic. "I'm young, but I'm no child. You assume because I'm a kid that I don't know what I believe or WHY. Well, I do - I have for years. I know why I have trouble with things like 'justice,' 'right' and 'wrong,' and such."  
  
"Ah - then I apologize. I never meant to imply that you were a child," I said, watching him, keeping my expression grave and serious.   
  
"My reasons may seem stupid to you, but I don't care." He blasted along, his voice strained, seemingly impervious to me, not acknowledging my response at all. "You HAVE ... something that makes you believe. I don't understand that something. I ... don't have that something. I never have."  
  
"What are you talking about? I have nothing special," I replied, frowning. I had no idea what he was talking about.  
  
For a moment, his expression was completely open. He looked appreciative, and slightly sad; and his eyes, if I wasn't careful, seemed to be deep wells of sadness - the kind that I could fall in and drown.  
  
"Please don't die, Sally," he said softly.  
  
Taken aback, I didn't say anything for a long moment. "No, Wufei," I said finally, "I will do my very best not to. But - I would say the same to you. I need you, Wufei."  
  
"You don't need me. You're stronger than I am," he said, closing his eyes as if in pain.  
  
"Ah. That's where you're completely wrong. You may see me as strong, when in fact, that's just stubbornness." I looked at my hands, fingers interlaced in my lap. "I am strong when I have to be, but not nearly as strong as I need to be. I will not survive this ordeal if you are not with me. This is only my third day awake, Wufei, and already I can feel myself ... well ... " I looked at him directly. "I can feel that my mind has been affected by Treize. I've started to look at him as less than an enemy."  
  
Wufei frowned at me. "He is the enemy. How can you waver on that? Nothing has changed."  
  
"I know it." I sighed and tried again. "I know that, Wufei - but - but something happens when I'm around him for a prolonged period of time. He has this - " and I searched for the correct word, " - this charisma - that eats away at my resolve. It's not that I don't see him as the head of OZ anymore; he is, definitely. It's just -"  
  
"I've seen that," Wufei broke in, still frowning. "It affects almost everyone. I don't know what it is."  
  
"Well - it's affected me, and I've only been conscious for three days. You've been with him for over three weeks, closer to six - how have you been able to keep your sanity?"  
  
Wufei blinked slowly. "I ... I don't know," he replied slowly. "I'm not sure. I see that people are affected when they're around him for periods of time, but - "and he shrugged, a small movement of his shoulders, " - but I don't feel anything, so I'm not doing anything special."  
  
"Ah - well - that's a talent I'd like to develop - if for nothing else than to save my own sanity," I said with a mirthless chuckle. "I don't want to go Une's way - and I don't want to forget who I am, either, or what I believe."  
  
Snorting, Wufei shook his head. "Une is madly in love with him - and you are not."  
  
I nodded, amused by his attitude toward Une; that, at least, was a predictable 15-year-old male disdainful mindset toward 'love.' Heh - no kidding I wasn't 'madly in love' with him. That's wasn't about to happen, not by any stretch of the imagination. And I wouldn't necessarily call what Une's unreasonable, doglike devotion to Treize 'love.' It sounded a lot more like an obsession, if you asked me.  
  
"Well - no, Wufei, I'm not. But I will tell you something. I've never met anyone like him - and if I live through this, I hope to never meet anyone like him again. I couldn't take it." I took a deep breath. "He scares me to death, Wufei. I already told you what I feel happening to me - and I feel helpless to stop it. And that's only one of the things I find frightening. I feel as if he's about five steps ahead of everyone else, no matter what's happening. And that there's always a reason for whatever he does. Always."  
  
"There is," Wufei agreed, a dark look in his eyes. "There is always a reason for anything he does, no matter how small or trivial."  
  
Stopping for a moment, I considered whether or not I should burden him with the next piece of information - then decided he should know. After all, he might need to contact Duo himself. And if he ever wanted to leave ...  
  
I said softly, without any preamble, "I have a cellphone from Duo. I can call him anytime. Just so you know."  
  
Wufei blinked at me, then opened his eyes wide.   
  
"I've had it since I saw him yesterday."  
  
Wufei started, badly. "You HAVE? And you're still HERE?" He looked almost betrayed.  
  
Giving him a little shrug, I looked past his shoulder to the sea. "I told you, Wufei. They couldn't get me out of there. Trowa said that they couldn't. He also said it would be good to have someone on the inside." My voice dropped lower. "And ... really. I don't want to go without you. I couldn't leave you behind."  
  
I realized how odd that last part sounded - most prisoners would have jumped at the chance, had they been given it. Strangely enough, I knew - and how I knew this, I don't know, but I did - that even if Treize had opened the door and thrown me out, I would have come right back. I wouldn't - no, I couldn't - leave Wufei.  
  
Wufei looked stunned. "But - but I WANT you to be free ..."  
  
I nodded sadly. "I want to be free, too, Wufei. But not at your expense."  
  
He looked hurt. "I can't ... leave."  
  
I nodded tiredly again. "I know, Wufei. I know."  
  
We were quiet, sitting across from each other for a time, both lost in our own thoughts. I watched the sun blaze across the water as it started to set against the western horizon.  
  
Wufei broke the silence. "I need to rest."  
  
"I understand completely. I'm pretty tired myself," I replied, rising from the chair. I looked down at him, struck once again at how young and vulnerable he seemed.   
  
I reached down and squeezed his arm. "See you later, Wufei. Sleep well."  
  
He looked startled for a moment, then gave me a weak smile. I turned from him, walked out the door and closed it softly behind me.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It was strange - I felt wiped out, but I also felt hyper-alert.   
  
Only the random soldier was walking in the hallway now; the mansion felt deserted. The only lighting came from the setting sun, and the hallway had very little access to natural sunlight - so it was extremely dark. Those windows that did open to the sky showed storm clouds on the horizon, with gray light filtering through windows designed to catch the prisms of bright sunlight.   
  
Irritated, I slowed my pace as I wandered from Wufei's room to the main foyer. What - I was in a mansion of the man who was supposed to be the wealthiest person on earth, and he couldn't afford to turn on the lights in the hallway?   
  
But thinking about it another way - the gloom could be an advantage. I could explore a little, and not be noticed. Treize wasn't here - he had left for the evening. And if anyone asked, I'd simply say that it was my first night in the house, and gee, you mean I wasn't supposed to be in this room ...?  
  
I smirked, and felt nominally better.   
  
Now the only thing to decide was where I was going to start. I looked around - there were plenty of rooms on the first floor. I heard the occasional footstep at a distance, but nothing close to where I was.   
  
I looked over, and decided to go into a random room on my left, behind a beautiful mahogany door. The doorknob turned easily in my hand; I pushed the door in and cautiously peered around the edge of the door.  
  
There were books - rows and rows and rows of books. Enough to make me gasp with pleasure, forget any natural caution I may have felt previously, walk into the room and carefully close the door.  
  
I could hardly believe my good luck. I loved the feel of books surrounding me - it was as if I was surrounded by old friends. Not only did this room have shelves of books, but it also had a fireplace and several high backed, comfortable, old fashioned leather chairs in front of a bay window with a perfect view of the sea.   
  
What a find! There was a small fire in the grate, so someone had been in the room fairly recently; also, the low table next to one of the chairs by the window had a coaster with a water ring on it, showing that it had been used recently, too.   
  
But whoever used it then wasn't here now, right? A vague feeling of uneasiness - the thought that I really wasn't supposed to be there pushed its way into my mind. I shoved it away just as easily, telling myself that no one explicitly told me to stay OUT of this room, so ... it must be all right.  
  
Right.  
  
I chose a book from the shelves, took it over to the chair in front of the window, and curled up in the chair. The chair was large enough and I was small enough that I could draw my feet up and stare out at the water, watching the sun sparkle on the waves as it set. It was definitely stormy, though; the palm trees were bending and swaying in a wind that was a lot stronger than the breeze that blew this afternoon, and there was a dark, ominous sky encroaching on the sunset.  
  
I leaned my head against the back of the chair and closed my eyes for a few moments, letting my mind wander, idly wondering what kind of storms roamed the Mediterranean this time of year. When I looked again, the sun was just dipping below the horizon; the sky was still rather light, but was now totally gray.  
  
It was peaceful in this room, but it felt deceptive, as well - like time out of mind, if that makes any sense at all. I had the sense of something that was solid, and firm, but was cut off from the rest of the world; exactly the same as this storm was cutting the island off from the rest of the world.  
  
There was no mistake, either - this was a rapidly developing storm. Not a hurricane - the winds didn't seem strong enough for that - but it was a storm, and a powerful one, at that. It felt ominous, like the clouds that blanketed the sky so quickly; mysterious, because it happened so fast; and spooky, because there didn't seem to be a good explanation for it. None of the weather channels I'd heard that day had predicted a storm, let alone a storm like this. It just felt - spooky.  
  
I had stopped being frightened by storms by the time I was eleven; we had our share of violent thunderstorms and such in Beijing, but that was the age I told myself I needed to become more grownup about the matter. My parents, too, dropped hints that most young women my age didn't believe in that supernatural foolishness, including most of my friends. I blinked, remembering. Nothing like a little peer pressure to straighten out a child's basic belief system.  
  
The rain started lashing against the windowpanes as the palms bent nearly double in the strong wind. I watched, fascinated.  
  
"A beautiful sight ... is it not?"  
  
I froze at the sound of that soft voice. I turned - and saw Treize, right behind me, silhouetted in the dying firelight, his hair tinged with golden bronze highlights, his face shadowed.   
  
I started, and gripped the book in both hands. I hadn't even heard him come into the room 


	17. Chapter 16

Tapestry - Chapter 16  
"Such power and chaos. And yet, even this is controlled, predictable ... bound by the laws of nature."  
  
Gods. I was halfway out of my chair when I realized who it was - doesn't he knock, or make any noise when he walks? The fact that this was Treize's house, and that he didn't have to knock before entering a room did cross my mind - but because it didn't fit with my hammering heart or my suddenly damp palms, I ignored it. Sinking back, I murmured, "It - it is powerful."  
  
"It is truly a miracle." His voice was quiet, resonant, sounding as if it was coming from all corners of the room.   
  
Dying firelight and the waning sunset cast light in lovely, earthen tones across Treize's face, throwing the rest of his body into shadow. Tilting his head, he regarded me with what looked like an amused expression mixed with a predatory hunger, beautiful and cold. He seemed to be a very dangerous man, one that I was eager NOT to antagonize - but at the same time, I was resolved not to show him any fear. Once a predator smelled fear, you were finished.  
  
I looked back at him, throwing my suspicion and dismay behind me, carefully controlling my expression, pushing it into one of bland interest.   
  
Yes ... you always do ...  
  
"May I sit here?" Treize indicated the chair opposite me, waving at it with one manicured hand.  
  
"Of course, General," I replied, respectful and courteous. I gave him a light smile, resolving not to allow myself to be sucked into something I didn't understand.  
  
Ha. Good luck, said my little voice - which suddenly went silent, as if a switch had been thrown. .  
  
Treize sat across from me, moving with the grace and stealth of a large cat. He looked as if he had just finished a long night somewhere - his white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar and he had taken his jacket off and folded it neatly across the back of the chair.  
  
"And how did you find your way in here, Sally?"   
  
I looked at him, as calm as possible, and shrugged. "I opened the door."  
  
"Walked in?" He raised an eyebrow at me, smiling. The light from the window was almost gone; half his fact was now in shadow, the other lit by golden firelight.  
  
"The door wasn't locked," I said, just a little defensive.  
  
He laughed. "Of course it was, Sally. You are welcome here."  
  
I eyed him in distrust. I knew there was a trap there - somewhere. The trick was in finding it. The sharp planes of this face were thrown in relief by the bronze light cast by the fire; and try as I might, I could see no flaw. Every single inch of him was perfect; every pore, every muscle, every sinew. His eyebrows were oddly shaped, that was true, but even THEY looked good on him.   
  
There was something else at work here, I was sure of it. He had to have been giving off pheromones. Even from where I sat, at least two meters away, I could sense the heat of his body - and it was triggering a response in mine. Suddenly I was remembering how strong he was, the firmness of his chest and arms, how it felt when he lifted me from the plane -   
  
Gods - stop that. I was convinced that I was partially insane. Here I was, a grown woman, and I couldn't even control my own body's response to someone sitting across from me? And not just my body, either - now my mind decided it wanted to join in, as well.   
  
Gads, that's great. Pull it together, Sally. Focus on what he's saying. Don't miss anything.  
  
"This is my personal library. Wufei is often in here. You are welcome, of course. I only ask that you spill nothing while you are here," he said, smiling at me.  
  
I frowned, surprised. "Ah ... spill something? Of course not. The books in here are quite old. I wouldn't handle them with anything but care." I looked up at the shelves and smiled.   
  
"I have collected them all my life." Treize smiled at the shelves himself, giving me an excellent view of his profile; and gads, now I could see that the muscles in his neck were visible, and just as perfect as the rest of him...  
  
This was awful. I was fighting with myself, trying to pull my awareness away from the general's body and everything I was noticing about it, when it was the general himself that shocked me back to normal. Without any noticeable change in his tone or body language, Treize leaned forward and confided, "Wufei and I had a lovely chat this evening."  
  
A bucket of ice water was just dumped on my psyche. Gone was any awareness I had of his body or mine as I looked over at him, unable to keep that small dollop of panic from leaping into my eyes. "Did - did you?" I stammered, struggling for calm.  
  
He nodded and gave me a look the likes of which I had never seen from anyone in my life - sidelong, head down just a little, with eyes that practically burned with passion.   
  
"He has asked me to preserve your life," Treize said lightly.  
  
My hands felt numb from gripping the edge of the book. I swallowed and stared at him, feeling my eyes widen slightly with every breath I took. I tried to say something in response; but to my chagrin, not a sound came out of my mouth.   
  
Staring, I tried again, and was a bit more successful. " ... he ..."  
  
Treize hadn't moved at all; in fact, he was still smiling, watching me intently, his eyes blazing blue fire.   
  
"Oh...." I said, weakly.  
  
His smile grew a little. "I find it interesting that he found it necessary to say so. I hope you have not been uncomfortable? Threatened, in some way? Frightened?" He looked at me, tilting his head. "I have sent Lady Une away for the time being. She does not - understand - your situation, and believes that you are going to take advantage of me." There was something in his eyes that was laughing at the very idea; Sally Po, a threat?  
  
Well, my thoughts exactly. I found my voice again, and was pleasantly surprised to find it was still working. "Ah ... no. I - I don't believe she understands my position - at all."  
  
Considering that I didn't have a clue about it, I would have been shocked to discover that Une knew something.  
  
Treize gave a minimal nod, never taking his gaze from me, that intense, amused expression still in his eyes. "I will not kill you. That was never my intention. Unnecessary death is ... unpleasant." His voice lingered over the last word, giving it a special emphasis.  
  
"Certainly ... for those experiencing it, it is." I was still gripping the book; by now, it probably had indentations from my nails all along its leather jacket. "And it is comforting to know that you ... will not kill me."  
  
"It is a sad and horrible thing," he agreed. "I do not cause death when I can avoid it. But Sally ... that is not what he asked me for."  
  
I frowned at him, not understanding. "It isn't?"  
  
"No."  
  
"But - I thought you said -"  
  
"He asked, specifically, that I preserve your life - not that I not kill you. That I keep you alive." Treize smiled a little. "He has been with me long enough now to know better than to use sloppy semantics. This was carefully worded."  
  
I stared at him as the implications of Wufei's request sank into my mind. I couldn't quite believe it; the more I thought about it, the larger the issue became. Wufei said ... that?  
  
Treize nodded, as if he heard my unspoken thoughts. "Naturally, I agreed. At the very least it shows a certain level of ... trust ... in my abilities, which I felt I could not rightfully ignore. Of course, with such a selfless request, I couldn't turn him down; although he IS technically my prisoner, and as such has no right to requests at all."  
  
And so are you, chortled that nasty little voice in my head. Gods, I hated that thing.   
  
"It seems, however, that in return you WILL be with me for ... a while. How else can I keep you alive? Your place is - how do I put this - guaranteed at my table." He leaned back and regarded me, looking amused and just a little self-satisfied.  
  
I looked back at him, trying my best to keep the shock and horror from my expression. Bland, Sally, make it bland, I thought, staring back at him, willing my heart to stop beating frantically. He's just told you that he's not going to let you go. Ever. That can't be right. He can't mean that - not really.  
  
"Ah - Treize," I said carefully, taking a deep breath. "I don't wish to appear ungrateful - in fact, in the time I've been awake, I've been treated with nothing but kindness - but ... how long are you anticipating I will be - with - you?"  
  
My gut was wrenching as I waited for him to respond. Treize, on the other hand, now looked REALLY amused. Steepling his fingers together, he leaned back and casually sprawled in his chair in a graceful, leonine way, regarding me from half lidded eyes.  
  
"I suppose as long as Wufei is," he said, shrugging. "No offense, my dear, but if he leaves, I doubt I will consider my word to him any longer upheld. One would assume he would not leave you behind at that point. However, as of now ... I see no specific time limit for him."  
  
Oh, gods. He's keeping Wufei, too. I should have realized.   
  
"I ... see," I said, swallowing. My mouth and throat had suddenly become as dry as the Sahara, and I could have sworn the temperature just increased fifteen degrees. I felt fine beads of perspiration on my forehead.  
  
Treize's smile became a little larger as he watched me. He didn't seem to be hiding his reactions as much tonight. Probably because we were alone. There were no witnesses - what would it matter?  
  
"I would not want to leave Wufei, either," I said with some asperity, looking directly at him. Well, I didn't care. If he told Wufei he wasn't going to kill me - which I didn't believe for one moment - then he wouldn't kill me for speaking my mind.   
  
At least, not now. Not immediately after he made his promise to Wufei. It didn't occur to me to ask myself what Wufei might have to give him in return for that promise, either. The whole 'promise' idea was just too shocking.  
  
"One would assume not," he replied, nodding.  
  
And this was odd, too. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something, to do something - giving me time to formulate - a question? Questions? I didn't know, but I knew opportunity when I saw it. Pushing my fear of him to another corner of my mind, I raised my chin and continued staring at him.   
  
"May I ask you a question ...?"  
  
"Of course," he said, smiling. He sounded almost eager, as if I was doing exactly what he wanted; and he looked pleased, as if I was an exceptionally bright child who had just done something quite clever.   
  
"Why Wufei?"  
  
Now he smiled at me with a contented look, his eyes fixed on mine. He was still sprawled in his chair; and the reflected light from the fireplace outlined him in gold. Even his skin looked golden, almost bronze. Sensuality seemed to pour from him. This was a side of Khushrenada that the general public never saw, I was certain of that; this was probably something else that only happened when he was alone.  
  
"Why Wufei?" he murmured, almost a purr. "What do you mean?"  
  
"You know exactly what I mean." I gave him my best even stare, realizing that I'd never be able to intimidate him, but hoping that perhaps I'd be able to match him. "Why - why choose him?"  
  
Of course, my body started to respond to him the way it always did, which was both annoying and a little scary. After all, I was only sitting about a meter away from him; should he decide to do ... something ... I didn't have much room to maneuver.   
  
"Choose him? For what, Sally?"  
  
My temper threatened to get the better of me. I struggled for that calm, even, detached tone my professors had when they were describing a clinical situation with one of their patients. "He's a boy with little or no experience with any kind of relationship. I would think that someone such as yourself - a professed lover of beauty - would leave something so unspoiled in its natural state, as opposed to ... playing ... with it."  
  
There. Now. If he's going to kill me, he has both motive and opportunity. I've just obliquely insulted him, and I'm alone with him.  
  
He looked even more pleased than he had before. "I am not going to kill you; you certainly don't need to look at me as if I am. And I am not playing with him. Were I playing, Sally, I would have taken what I wanted and been done with him already. This is too long a project for play."  
  
I felt my eyes widen. "A ... project?" Merciful heavens, what kind of project could Wufei be?  
  
Treize nodded slowly, his eyes closing for a moment in acknowledgement. He opened them again, and I was caught. His gaze was clear and direct, and seemed to slice right through any feeble defenses I had. He could see right inside my head, hear and see what I was thinking. At least, it felt that way.   
  
"What - what kind of project is Wufei?"  
  
The general really did seem to be enjoying himself. A smile tugged at the sides of his mouth. "He is a project inasmuch as I am devoting more personal time to him than to any other in a long, long time. Eventually, I hope to make him into a contributing member of society." The last part, though, was delivered in a tone that simply dripped with sarcasm.  
  
I eyed him. "So. You mean to 'rehabilitate' him publicly? A 'here's the reformed gundam pilot' type thing, all due in no small part to your heroic efforts?"  
  
Smiling softly, Treize watched me. "In part - although that is not an end in itself."  
  
"What else is there?" I asked flatly. "I didn't believe it could be that simple."  
  
"To be blunt, Sally, I am a great fan of beauty, as you said. Truthfully, I believe that is all that honestly matters in this world, even though it is easily faded. What we have in Wufei is very much like a diamond in its unfinished state, if that is not too trite an example. Have you ever seen an unfinished diamond, Sally? Held one in your hand?"  
  
"No ... I haven't."  
  
"Stay here," Treize commanded, smiling. He stood in one graceful motion and walked over to the small writing desk next to the fireplace. His long, supple fingers reached for something tucked away in the small recesses of the desk. Apparently, he found what he wanted because he turned from the desk and walked back to me with something in each hand.  
  
"Hold out your hands, please, Sally."  
  
I obeyed, holding out my hands, palms up, curious. He dropped two rocks into my left hand. Both were rough, rather yellowish - they looked a little like amber, but they didn't shine. All in all, they were rather ugly. They sat there, patiently waiting for me to make some kind of assessment. I stared at them for a moment, and then looked up at Treize. "These are uncut diamonds?" I guessed, watching his face.   
  
I thought they'd make interesting paperweights. They certainly didn't look like diamonds - they didn't even look like interesting polished rocks.  
  
"One is. The other is simply carbon. If you were to find them on the beach, Sally," he said gently, "would you bother picking them up? And if you did - would you keep them?"  
  
"Only if I knew what I was looking for," I replied, weighing the pieces in my hand.  
  
"Correct," Treize said, smiling a bit. "And I do. I see in that ... potential for something more similar to this." So saying, he dropped a very large, rather heavy and very elegantly cut diamond into my right hand.  
  
I gasped - it was so unexpected, and the stone was so beautiful, that I was quite taken aback. "It's - that's - magnificent ...."  
  
"And yet, it was uglier than these," he said, pointing to my left hand. "I can recognize such things, Sally, because I have watched and waited for a long, long time. Having done away with God, man is the reason for my existence.""  
  
Holding the jewel up to the light between my thumb and fingers, I looked up at Treize again, speculative. "But much has to do with the skill of the jeweler. Should you press too hard, it will shatter."  
  
"Correct," Treize said, relaxing back into his chair. "I am the one who cut that diamond. In a very shallow sense, it is what I am doing with Wufei. I believe he is worth the effort - and I believe it will take years." He smiled at me again. "I have always been a patient man."  
  
There was nothing to gain by being indirect with this man. He was completely unrepentant about his reasons and methods, and that made me furious. "I'm afraid you're going to break him - cause him to shatter. You may have done away with God, but you can't predict everything."  
  
"He will not shatter." Treize shifted in his chair, watching me with a small smile. "He will bruise, and he will learn to bend, but he will not shatter. Were he going to do that, Sally, it would have happened already. Of course, there is at least one more test through which he can be put, but ..."  
  
"What?" I blinked up at him.   
  
Shrugging eloquently, he continued. "I know you consider this to be a game - that my efforts are somehow ... 'bad.'"  
  
"They're cruel," I broke in, unable to contain myself any longer. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, but I didn't care. Put the boy through another one of his tests for his amusement? I was feeling extremely protective of Wufei at the moment, and was incensed that Treize would even consider performing more of his 'tests.'  
  
"Are they, Sally?" he asked, tilting his head. It felt as if he was watching me as closely as a snake observes its prey before striking.  
  
I didn't answer - I simply closed my mouth and glared at him from the safety of my chair.  
  
"One might consider the efforts of a parent cruel. Shaping one's mind rather means that some things ... must be left behind."  
  
"You aren't his parent," I snapped, pointing out what I considered to be the obvious.  
  
"Very true," he replied mildly. "And neither are you. His parents are long dead."  
  
Gads, he was infuriating. What little arguing I had done with him usually left me bruised and wondering how the hell he had gained the upper hand yet again. This time was no different.  
  
I took a deep breath and composed myself, presenting my best and blandest face to him. "So. You wish to bring out the true essence of Wufei. Once this essence has been brought to light - what then? What will he have become?"  
  
"He will become himself, of course - with one slight difference. I do not know if you have known him long enough, or well enough, to see this ... but he has no direction. No belief, in fact, in anything objective and substantial enough to GIVE him direction."  
  
Ah. Now this was something I didn't expect from Treize. "Yes, he has been searching for a long time," I agreed, not looking at the general.   
  
"He has," Treize said pleasantly, "since long before he came to earth. His mind is something more extraordinary than even the diamond, Sally. His mind is like mine."  
  
I looked over at him sharply. What did he mean...?  
  
"Had we been raised in similar circumstances, Sally, there would be not quite as much of a difference as you now suppose. I can tell you that in just six week's time, he has come to understand me in a way no human ever has. In just over a month."  
  
Something else was pushing Treize's words, of that I was sure. He was looking at me intently, as if he wanted me to figure out exactly what he was saying without his explanation.  
  
"What do you think that means, Sally?"  
  
"You want companionship through Wufei?" I guessed. I really hated these types of guessing games; invariably, I was wrong, and was usually told so in sarcastic, uncompromising terms.   
  
He smiled a bit. "Mmmm ... keep thinking. I know you can, Sally. You hide yourself well, but I can see the worth in you. Keep thinking."  
  
That comment unnerved me. I stared at him, wondering faintly just how much this man could possibly know about me. "What ... what do you mean...?"  
  
"He understands me as no other human ever has - more than Milliardo, who grew up with me. More than Une - but that's not very difficult. Even you understand me more than Une."  
  
I felt a little faint. I'd known this man for three days, and he said I understood him more than his personal attaché. That was a little scary.  
  
He laughed softly, reached out, and cupped my cheek with his hand. I felt his fingers - long, strong, and warm - slide across my jaw and behind my ear.   
  
My breathing and heart rate jumped to twice their normal rate - again. I couldn't control either one; but I could control my expression, and I tried. I really tried. I didn't flinch, I didn't pull back ... but I knew my eyes grew wider with shock.  
  
"Saa ... such surprise in your eyes ..." he purred, leaning toward me. He stroked my cheekbone gently with his thumb, once, never taking his gaze from me; then caressed my face and withdrew his hand, sitting back.   
  
"Tell me, Sally. What do you think I want?"  
  
I could hardly believe we were having this conversation. My body had started vibrating the moment I realized he was in the room; and now he was touching me and I couldn't even allow myself to react. He knew how I felt, though. I didn't know how I knew that, but I did.   
  
And now he was waiting for me to say something. Gads, hurry, Sally - say something. Breathless, I started. "I ... I think you want to be understood and known ... by someone you believe is or can be your peer. And you think that's Wufei."  
  
"Mmmm ... not quite." He leaned toward me again, his gaze intense and powerful; and as if he uttered a sexual command, he murmured, "Deeper, Sally. Deeper."  
  
Now I was totally at a loss. All I could do was sit and look at him, hoping some other inspiration would strike and that I wouldn't feel so defenseless and exposed.  
  
Treize recrossed his legs, his gaze pinning me as effectively as if he was holding my shoulders. "Wufei understood this within a week ... and granted, I am leading you by the hand whereas he simply figured it out. Nevertheless ... I think it would make things more interesting for you to be fully aware, at least on one level. It's only fair - ne?"  
  
Gods. I had NO idea what he was talking about - only that he wanted me to come up with some type of conclusion about himself and Wufei. I looked down at my hands in my lap, praying I could think of something soon.  
  
"Occam's Razor, Sally," he said gently. "The simplest explanation is usually the correct one."  
  
I looked up at him. "...you ... want ... him?" I asked, weakly, feeling totally inadequate.  
  
"Yes," Treize agreed, cheerful. "His mind ... his heart ... his abilities. Everything about him appears to my senses, with the sole exception of his voice. However, I think that will smooth out when he has spent some time NOT shouting at the top of his lungs."  
  
Gods. He was completely, absolutely open about what he wanted. I blinked and swallowed. "... but ... you're ... you're taking away any kind of choice that he might have made on his own .."  
  
"I want to see him become a man. To finish forming his body - to mature. To find his place - I want to HELP him find his place. Because, Sally, his choice right now would be to die. He has wanted to die for well over a year. These promises I extract from him are in part to ensure he does not do away with himself. He has come close - or did Duo not tell you that part?"  
  
".....what....?" I said, feeling all the blood rush away from my face. What? He knows I spoke with Duo?!  
  
Treize gave me a knowing look with a gentle smile. "Perhaps you should ask him. Yes, I want Wufei. But not in any one form - or in any temporary sense." He looked past my shoulder, as if he was imagining Wufei standing in front of him. "His lineage fascinates me. He's Chinese, as are you. And yet, one would not know to look at you that you come from the same bloodline, ne? .....really, you don't. You are Chinee, and he is of the Dragon Clan - one of the most genetically exclusive groups to survive the age of colonization. He carries in himself a pure strain of Chinese that - no offense - you do not have. You are nearly as Caucasian as I am."  
  
He brought his gaze back to me, and smiled. "Ask him what he said to me on our fourth breakfast together. I'm sure you will be going to see him soon after this." His tone changed again, became even and measured. "I am not going to hurt him, Sally. Not in terms of injury."  
  
This conversation had just turned surreal. "What - what if he doesn't want you after you are finished with him, Treize? What then?  
  
"Oh, he will," Treize replied lightly.  
  
"You sound very sure," I said, doubt ringing in my mind. I looked at the storm beyond the windows, surprised to see that it seemed to have gained power and strength.  
  
"I have never failed to arouse the desire of someone I wanted, Sally, male or female - and I am not simply speaking in sexual terms. It is my nature."   
  
I stared back at him, raising one eyebrow in polite disbelief. Really, now ...  
  
Treize smiled at me, shifting his position in his chair slightly. "...it is a gift, don't you think ...? To be able to simply override the natural inclinations of a person."  
  
"It is a talent that many people would envy," I agreed, careful that my words and tone conveyed no threat or censure.   
  
"Some would. Most would waste it. I ... do not."  
  
The storm was increasing in intensity outside. Rain was beating a relentless tattoo on the windowpanes, and the howling of the wind sounded like voices on the other side of the glass.  
  
"It's a talent, I'm sure, that you've put to good use time and time again ..."  
  
"What do you think, Sally? Of course ... such things now are preserved for special occasions. But - yes. I have put it to use."  
  
"Special occasions?" I looked at him, not really understanding. "You mean - when the stray politician needs convincing?"  
  
"No," he replied with a dry look. "I do not GIVE it, Sally. The stray politician can be persuaded by much less messier means."  
  
"Ah - that would be graft and corruption."  
  
"And death," Treize added. "Power tends to increase exponentially - but sex is really not something I'd use for that. It's terribly messy. Special occasions - as I said - which is to say, when I actually desire it." His eyes narrowed slightly as he tilted his head again, watching me. "Humans live in a constant state of semi-sexual arousal. I find this ... weak."  
  
Now I felt vulnerable and exposed. "....oh ......"  
  
He recrossed his legs, smiling at me - and I had the quick impression of leashed power, held under tight control. Aimed right at me.  
  
"You see," he started gently, "you ... would be the work of a few hours, possibly days. Wufei has already handled much more - intense - moments. Most of them he simply misunderstood. Some, his body understood for him - and yet, he held out. Yes," he murmured, nodding his head, "a worthy project, I believe, for several years to come - at least."  
  
At this point, oddly enough, it was difficult to hear him. The wind outside was so strong that I wondered again about hurricanes. I quickly glanced outside, thinking about that raw power, unleashed and unfettered, battering the house again and again, a demon trying to force its way inside.  
  
I was breathing deeply; I would be the work of a few hours? Well, that certainly explains why Wufei can withstand him but others cannot. And that comment he made about humans was ... odd. As I looked at him, another horrible certainty stole across my mind. "You've driven people mad, then..."  
  
Treize was smiling at me - really smiling. "Yes."  
  
Gads ... and now I couldn't tell whether it was my imagination or not, but his teeth actually looked sharper than normal. Something awful was happening to me, and I was powerless to stop it. In spite of myself - in spite of hating him, in spite of wishing with all my heart that there was something I could do - my body was acknowledging him yet again, swaying in his direction.   
  
He knew it, too. It wasn't hard to miss, and it was frightening. The combination of my wanting to pull away and my inability to do so was causing my stomach to churn, making me rather nauseated.  
  
Now the wind was buffeting the house, sounding as if it wanted to beat down the walls in its efforts to reach me.   
  
"Saa, Sally ... " Treize purred, "...did you think I said you were not my type because your are not desirable? You are."  
  
A horrible feeling, a weird kind of lethargy, stole over me, robbing me of any ability or desire to move. Right now, I couldn't run if I wanted to; I was caught, snared by his gaze and this odd, terrible feeling of powerlessness. I stared at him, unable to look away.  
  
He leaned forward, his eyes a brilliant blue. "You are," he repeated, breathing softly. "Believe me. There is a kind of purity in you that normally comes with saints. But you are no saint ... are you, Sally ..."  
  
My body actually leaned toward him; I swear my shoulders were trying to reach him first.   
  
"...it gives you a soft ... white ... glow ..." He moved closer to me and caressed my cheek with his knuckles, very lightly moving across my jaw and over to my ear.   
  
"Really ... terribly pretty, " he murmured, more to himself. "Not beautiful - you will never be that - but very, very pretty, all told. Strong ... intelligent ..."  
  
I could hardly hear him over the wind, it was so loud; and every place he touched suddenly felt as if is was on fire. Sensations fanned out from each spot; and somehow, in between one blink of my eyes and the next, he was REALLY close.  
  
Within kissing distance, in fact. His gaze held mine and refused to relinquish it, demanding my complete, undivided attention. I was completely in thrall, staring at him.   
  
"...protective instinct..." he said softly. "Were you an element, Sally Po ... that is what you would be. Your heritage allows no less."  
  
The delicate aroma of roses surrounded me. I had no will of my own - the desire to pull away had faded, and all I could do was stare into the blue of his eyes and wait - and hope - for the inevitable. His lips were so close that I wasn't sure if they were actually touching mine as he spoke, or if it was simply his breath.  
  
"Tell me, Sally," he murmured as a flash of lightening illuminated the room, flickering across his face, "what would YOU do -"  
  
His hand found the back of my shoulder as he pulled me to him -   
  
"- to ensure ... the safety ... of another?"  
  
- and pressed his lips to mine, closing his eyes. I shivered for a moment, then surrendered to one of the most intense sensations I had ever felt. A sudden, sharp, and traitorous orgasm rocked through my body, closing my eyes for me and tingling through my skin to places I forgot I had.  
  
Then I woke up.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^^*^*  
  
I was cold and shivering, face down on the floor in front of the open library window. Rain was blowing through the window and pooling on the floor next to me; and the 'wind' I had heard in my dream was real, beating the drapes into the room. Half the floor was drenched, as was I - but my body wasn't shivering from the cold.  
  
Blinking, I pushed myself over on my side and then up to a sitting position, cold and stiff, seeing nothing, my mind still enthralled with the memory of that kiss. Somehow, I rose from the floor; and even that simple movement helped to bring my awareness back to ... wherever I was.  
  
The voices I heard on the wind? Now it seemed that they were real - in fact, there was pounding coming from somewhere in the room, and it sounded like someone was calling my name.   
  
I looked over at the fireplace - and the fire was long dead, burned to ashes in the grate, no heat radiating into the room whatsoever. Dragging my gaze to the opposite side, I realized the door was closed - and that someone was pounding on the door and shouting my name. Numbly, my mind cataloged the sound, and decided it was Wufei.  
  
"Sally! ANSWER me! SALLY!"  
  
There were no diamonds in my hand, cut or uncut; no one else was in the room; and the smell of roses was conspicuously absent. But my body had been thrown into a state that it had it hadn't experienced in years, if ever ... and I wasn't easily coming out of it.  
  
"SALLY!"  
  
Stiffly, I reached over, leaning on the sash, and pulled the window closed, heedless of the rain whipping in my face. Lightning flashed, throwing everything into stark relief. The sky had a dim, gray cast to it, making it impossible for me to gauge the hour. One more cursory glance over the chairs and table by the window showed that no books were wet, fortunately, with the exception of the one I had pulled from the shelf. Absently, I passed my hand over its spine, brushing away droplets of water, picked it up from the table, and carefully put it down on the secretary next to the bookshelves.  
  
I felt as if I was sleepwalking. Moving from the bookshelves to the door, I reached out and turned the knob, only to find the door was locked. Something unfamiliar passed over me; I was bothered by that, because I didn't remember locking the door. Turning the latch, I pulled again at the doorknob, and now the door opened a crack.  
  
Peering out through the opening, my gaze bleary and my eyes unfocused, I saw Wufei standing in front of the door, his usually reserved demeanor gone. He wasn't frantic, but was approaching that state.  
  
He stared at me for a moment, then pushed the door open with enough force to make me stagger backwards, grabbed my arms, and pulled me out into the hallway.  
  
"Sally! GODS, Sally - what -"  
  
"Eh ..." I gasped, blinking in the strong light. Gods, it was like walking into bright sunlight after being in a cave; and I was cold, so cold I was shivering.   
  
But that wasn't simply from the cold, either.  
  
"You've been gone for hours! What happened to you?"  
  
Wufei kept his grip on my upper arm and pulled me down the hallway. From the set of his shoulders and the look on his face, I knew he wasn't going to listen to any arguments; he was going to take me where HE wanted, and that was that.   
  
Actually, that was fine with me, as I was in no condition to argue with anyone about anything. Bone chilling cold was seeping across my arms and legs, and I was having enough trouble making sure my feet didn't stumble over each other.  
  
" ... and I looked all over, and they said you hadn't left. And this was the only room you COULD be in, but the door was locked and Treize hasn't come BACK yet and he's the only one with the key ..."  
  
I heard his scolding, but it was taking me more time than usual to process what he was saying. He marched me right into his room, hardly stopping to throw the door open before he pushed me in, anger and worry pulling his brows together in a threatening manner, his eyes dark and ominous.  
  
"...what's WRONG with you? Did you fall and hit your head?"  
  
Without warning, a large, thick, terrycloth bathrobe was around my shoulders, engulfing me. I automatically stuck my arms into the sleeves and drew it around myself, my arms wrapped protectively about my body.   
  
I looked at him, my mind still clouded. "I ...I don't ..."  
  
Worry and fear were written plainly across his face. "I was about ready to go look to see if the dogs got you ..."  
  
...when something he said finally registered. If I was cold before, now it felt as though a rock of solid ice had dropped into my stomach.   
  
"...Treize ... isn't ... back...?"  
  
"Of course not," he replied, shaking his head and giving me an odd look. "He came to see me before he left, and that was it. Sit down." He pulled me over to his bed and pushed down on my shoulders, intent on getting me to sit where he wanted.  
  
My body started shaking. I was shaking so much, I couldn't control it. "You ... saw ... him? Did you ... what did ... you ..."  
  
Wufei nodded, not looking at me. "Yes. He came to see me before he left, I said." He was grabbing towels and some other things, and was heading into the bathroom. "You need to take a hot bath - you're chilled. I won't bathe you," he added, his face flushing. "Gods - what got INTO you, Sally?"  
  
Now my teeth were chattering. "What ... did ... you ... ask ... him...?" I managed to grate out, staring at him, my arms wrapped protectively around my midsection. I was feeling cold, but the coldness I felt had absolutely nothing to do with the spreading shock and slow panic that was moving across my mind.   
  
Treize wasn't in the house. He wasn't there. He hadn't BEEN there for hours.  
  
Wufei stopped and looked right at me. " ... what? He came right after you left. I'm surprised you didn't see him in the hallway - and then he left again."  
  
I was shaking so hard it felt as if my entire body was spasming. "Did ... you ... ask ... him ... anything?" I had to know - I just had to know.  
  
"... yes .." Poor Wufei looked completely taken aback; that, and he was trying to understand what I was saying. Difficult, I admit, because I was shaking so much I could hardly get the words out.  
  
"What ... did ... you ... ask?" I stared at him, intense, clenching my teeth so that he could understand me. He had to tell me - he had the answer.   
  
He looked back at me, unsure. "A couple of things," he started slowly, giving me a strange look.  
  
"Wufei - I need to know. Please ..."  
  
I was clutching the front of the bathrobe in ice cold hands; I felt like I was clenching my entire body to stop its quaking.   
  
Wufei looked back at me, blinking and frowning. He held my gaze, but lowered his head and looked as if he wasn't sure if he should be guilty or not. "I - I asked him for a couple of things ... and he agreed."  
  
Lighting streaked across the sky, immediately followed by a deafening roar of thunder. I shrank together involuntarily and stared out the window for a moment; then looked back at Wufei.  
  
He had been studying me, his gaze worried. "Um ... why are you asking?"  
  
Gods, that's right - I hadn't told him. What was I going to tell him - that Treize, who had been gone from the house for hours, was actually in the library with me, and had -  
  
No. I'm NOT going there right now. My nerves couldn't handle it.  
  
I looked back at him, pleading. "Please .. Wufei .. tell me ..."  
  
"I asked - for a couple of books .. and.." He stopped, looking at me. "I - wanted to be sure you would be all right, and so ..."  
  
"Yes?" I asked, holding my breath.  
  
"I asked him if - if you could be kept safe, as I seem to be here. And he told me you'd been convicted, legally, of worse than I .. but that he would think about it and let me know tonight. And then he ... just left. Sally, what's wrong with you? Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
I was staring, slack jawed, at Wufei. I knew I was, and I couldn't help it. This was just like those bad dreams I had as a child, where everything had turned inside out and nothing I did could possibly fix what was wrong. I was sliding down a hill, toward an abyss, and I couldn't stop.  
  
My hands were shaking even more now. "...Wufei ...?"  
  
"Sally? Sally, you're shaking - you're chilled. You need -"  
  
"Wufei," I broke in. "Wufei .. please .. I want - I have to take a bath ..."  
  
He nodded, looking very confused, and swept me off the bed, into his arms, and walked into the bathroom. I clutched around his neck, needing some human comfort; and the poor boy felt my body shake the entire time he carried me.   
  
He set me down gently on the edge of the tub, leaned over and turned the water on. "I ... um ... I can't undress you." He was blushing badly, focusing his attention on making sure the bathwater was the right temperature.  
  
It occurred to me - briefly - that even though he was married, he had probably never seen a grown woman naked. I wondered if his wife - and what had she been, all of thirteen? - actually had breasts.  
  
No wonder he was so acutely uncomfortable.  
  
"That's okay, Wufei," I whispered. "I .. I should be all right. But would you - would you stay outside the door?"  
  
He nodded at me, concern and worry still in his eyes.  
  
"And .. don't close it all the way .. please ..."  
  
Wufei blinked, then nodded again, looking confused. He knelt next to me and started unlacing my boots, helping me out of the clothes he could.  
  
I suddenly realized I still had Duo's cellphone; and the ridiculousness of THAT suddenly hit me. I started giggling, a high-pitched, slightly hysterical sound which I immediately tried to suppress.   
  
"Oh .. I can't get the phone wet .."  
  
Gods, now the poor boy probably thought I had gone completely over the edge. He was sitting back on his heels, staring at me, his eyes wide.   
  
"...Sally...?" he said, softly.   
  
I stared back at him. "I'm - okay, Wufei. I'm okay. Really, I'm okay." It felt as if I was trying to convince myself more than anything else.  
  
He wasn't buying it. "I'll call the mainland for a doctor."  
  
"No! No doctors, Wufei!" I clutched at his arm, pleading.  
  
"Sally..." he started, giving me an odd look.  
  
"Promise me, Wufei - no doctors. Not now, not ever..."  
  
Gods, who knows what they'd do? I know what I would do, faced with a patient like me - and I wasn't going to give them the chance.  
  
"Why?" he asked, obviously unnerved. I realized belatedly that he'd never seen me in any situation where I wasn't in control. This must be a complete shock to him, poor boy.   
  
I was intense. "I .. I .. " I swallowed my fear and looked at him. "I'll tell you after I'm done with my bath - but no doctors. Do you promise?"  
  
"Okay." He was confused - terribly confused, in fact. "Are you sure you don't need help of some kind ...?"  
  
Steam was rising from the bathwater, filling the room. It felt comforting; some of the coldness started to seep out of my bones.   
  
"No .. I'm all right, Wufei. But wait - wait just a moment -"  
  
I turned away from him, pulled the cellphone out of its hiding place, and turned back to him. "Would you take care of this for me?" I asked, handing him the phone.  
  
"Um .. okay," he said, blinking, looking puzzled.   
  
"Okay ... thank you, Wufei. I'll - I'll be fine. Just - don't close the door all the way ... and stay right outside ... just in case ..."  
  
"I said I would." He looked at me and retreated quickly out of the bathroom.   
  
I sighed, then turned back to the bath. Stripping quickly, I stepped into the tub and carefully lowered myself into the steaming water.  
  
Ahhhhh..... it felt so good......  
  
The heat penetrated to my bones, helping to still the trembling from the cold. But not all of my shaking was from the cold; it still felt as if my body was responding to that dream. I was still quivering, soaking in hot water up to my shoulders, remembering sensations that struck through my body like electricity... gah..  
  
I stared straight ahead, willing myself to keep on track. There was no one IN the room; but the door was locked from the inside; but I knew I didn't lock the door when I walked into the room.  
  
And there was that other problem. If Treize told Wufei that he would 'think about it, and let him know tonight' - but he already told ME that he was going to keep me here ...  
  
I heard voices - and because the bathroom door was open, they were quite clear. Treize had returned.  
  
Oh, gods. I sank down lower into the bathtub, until only my eyes were visible over the rim. Wufei had thoughtfully put bubble bath into the water when he was filling the tub, so I was reasonably sure the only thing anyone could see was the top of my head, my eyes, and mounds of bubbles floating on top of the water.  
  
I wanted to sink down all the way and not surface for a long, long time.  
  
"...and yes, it was a marvelous time! I hadn't had that much fun in ages, thank you for asking ..."  
  
Boy, did Treize sound chipper - very light, pleased with the world. That overbearing, commanding quality just wasn't in his voice - not the way it was when he -  
  
"Ah, yes, I'm home now - yes, yes, goodbye!"  
  
Apparently, he was on his cellphone. There was a short silence from the other room, then:  
  
"Wufei ... you look like you've seen a ghost. Are you well?"  
  
Oh geez ... I shrank farther into the tub, wishing he would just go away. What was he, that he could be in two places at once? Or was I going mad?  
  
I heard Wufei murmur a response to him.   
  
"Oh, no ...." Treize sounded concerned. Another short silence, broken by soft rapping on the bathroom door. "Sally? Sally, are you all right? Wufei said you seemed unwell ..."  
  
Don't come in, don't come in - he wasn't coming in, was he? No, I prayed he wasn't coming in. I took a shaky breath and tried to say something, but it came out as a breathy kind of squeak. "..fine .. I'm fine ..."  
  
"Would you like to see a doctor?" he asked gently, through the door. Thank the gods for small miracles, he wasn't coming in. "The weather is horrific, but I'm sure we could summon someone from the mainland -"  
  
"Oh, no, please," I said immediately, my voice stronger. "No doctor. I'm - fine, really, I am - I'm all right."  
  
"If you're certain," he replied, concern evident in his tone. "Wufei said you ... passed out. Which room was she in?" he murmured to Wufei.  
  
I heard Wufei answer him, but I couldn't make out the words.   
  
" ...my library? Good heavens, that side of the house is being buffetted by the storm. I had best go check on my books - no, Wufei, you stay. She asked you to, you said -"  
  
"Sally." Treize's voice floated over to me though the doorway. "Whatever is wrong, please rest assured that we will take care of it - all right?"  
  
Now I wanted to sink to the bottom of the tub and never come up. "Oh ... yes," I responded weakly, "of course."  
  
There was more soft talking outside the door, more things I couldn't follow. Then I heard Treize's voice, soft but clear.  
  
"Yes. I was hesitant .. but now ... yes, definitely."  
  
I stopped breathing. I thought the world had stopped.  
  
"Good night, Wufei. Call me if you need anything - anything at all."  
  
I heard the door close softly; and once I heard that, I exhaled. My hands were shaking, but not as much as they had been, and I sat for a few moments - just to make sure Treize was well and truly gone.  
  
"Wufei," I called, "I'm getting out now. I'll be right out ..."  
  
I crawled out of the tub, dried myself off with the huge towels Wufei left for me and wrapped myself in the terrycloth robe. Once that was done, I realized I couldn't delay any longer, so I peered around the doorway.  
  
"Wufei...?"  
  
His face was flushed; he was obviously aware I was naked, but was trying to deal with that as best he could.  
  
"Wufei. Did - did Treize say anything ...?"  
  
Wufei turned toward me and looked. "Say anything?" he repeated, not understanding. "Are you naked?"  
  
"Um ... no .. well, I'm wearing that robe you gave me ..."  
  
"Oh. Okay, then." He had been standing away from the door, but now stepped forward and opened it all the way. "You should be lying down. Come on," he said, giving me a stern look and taking my arm, drawing me out of the bathroom.  
  
I wilted, and allowed Wufei to lead me over to the bed. A deep lethargy came over me, and it was an effort to shuffle that far. "I'm ... I'm so tired, Wufei..."  
  
"Of course you are. You're ill." He turned down the covers and looked ready to sweep me off my feet again to get me into bed. I forestalled that by hopping up and sliding under the covers. He tucked the blankets around me - very businesslike, but very tender. It didn't seem to matter to him that he was putting me to bed in his bed.  
  
My eyes were closing, when I was struck by another stray thought. "No doctors," I said, staring up at him as he hovered over me. "You promised."  
  
Wufei nodded and frowned. "And you never told me why not."  
  
"I don't want that Dr. White poking around ..."  
  
He blinked at me. "She wouldn't be here, anyway. We're quite close to Greece - we'd get someone else. If it's just her -"  
  
I turned my head into the pillow. "I'll - can I tell you when I wake up?" I looked at him, imploring. Please don't make me talk about this now, Wufei ... please.  
  
"All right," he said, grimly. I knew he'd want an explanation when I woke up, and I thought I'd be better able to give one to him when I had had some rest.  
  
He fussed around me a few minutes more, putting another quilt on the bed, then sat in a chair opposite me, keeping watch.   
My eyes were already closing. "What .. what did Treize say to you?"   
  
"He said yes."  
  
Now my eyes snapped open. I knew he had, of course ... but to hear it confirmed by Wufei ... ah, that was frightening. "Oh..."  
  
"He wasn't going to - but you collapsed, and ... you're scaring me, Sally."  
  
I swallowed, looking back at him. "I - I'm sorry, Wufei. I don't mean to."  
  
He shifted his position in the chair. "Go to sleep, Sally. You need it. And Treize meant what he said. He's going to do whatever is necessary to help you."  
  
My toes were still tingling; now, what Wufei said to me had worlds of new meanings. I burrowed under the covers, closing my eyes tightly.  
  
"Good night, Sally," I heard him say softly before I dropped off to sleep. The last thought - impression - I had was of a young man with dark hair and eyes, guarding me while I slept. 


	18. Chapter 17

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Tapestry - Chapter 17  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I love those first few moments when I'm waking up from a sound sleep. I feel as though I'm cocooned, safe and comfortable, no worries at all. Well - no worries until I actually started thinking and open my eyes.  
  
That same feeling - something very sensual, yet secure - draped over me now. My eyes were closed, but I could feel sunlight pouring over my face and warming my eyelids. I was covered to my chin, sheets and covers weighing down my arms and legs; I felt safe and protected. My head pressed down into a soft pillow, and I breathed in a familiar, slightly spicy scent. It wasn't mine, though something about it was definitely male and very pleasant.  
  
Awareness comes back in stages. I was awake, but I was the only one who knew it; and I wanted to keep it that way, as small an advantage as it was. Slitting my eyes against the bright sunlight, I kept my breathing light and even and pretended to sleep, but I couldn't see anything except the mound of comforter in front of my face.  
  
I moved my head on the pillow, settling a little more, and stretched my neck so I had a better view of the room. It was nice, but it wasn't my room; I couldn't remember exactly where I was. My gaze lingered over traditional bedroom furniture, and came to rest on a figure sitting in a chair next to the bed. He was quite still, reading.  
  
I frowned, feeling the muscles between my eyes contract. Why was he sitting next to me and -  
  
My eyes flew open, and I looked at Wufei.   
  
Now I remembered. Everything.  
  
As he sat and read, calmly turning pages and completely unaware, I watched him through my eyelashes. Dread, confusion and uncertainty flooded back into me. Gods. What happened last night? It was - it was - surreal. Unreal. A dream, or ... what? If it wasn't a dream - if my overactive imagination didn't make it up - then we were in more trouble than I cared to think about.   
  
Well. I wasn't going to think about it; that wouldn't help, because there was nothing I could do. What I had to do now was think of something to tell Wufei. Something - anything - as long as it was plausible. I knew, as well as I knew my own name, that he was going to demand an explanation, which would lead to why he shouldn't call in a doctor to check me out.   
  
I studied him as he read. He looked composed and calm, but tired; and he was wearing the same thing he wore last night. That meant he had been sitting in that chair, all night, watching over me. Waiting. Keeping me safe from ... who knows what.  
  
I thought I knew what he was guarding against even if he didn't - but it was something I couldn't quite explain, let alone believe. So little of it made sense - although on another level, one which I was loathe to acknowledge, far too much of it did. Not only did it look like Treize had fangs there for a moment, but ... he never blinked. Not once during the entire time I spoke to him. What kind of a person never blinks?  
  
Cautiously, I opened my eyes all the way and gazed at Wufei, envying him his complete concentration. I couldn't hide forever - might as well get it over with, and soon.  
  
"Wufei?" I whispered.  
  
He nearly bounded out of his chair, I startled him so badly. "Sally!" he exclaimed, putting his book to the side and staring at me. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I - I think so," I responded, muffled in the comforter. "What time is it?"  
  
"After ten. Are you well? A doctor would be good."  
  
"Ah .. no. I don't need a doctor, Wufei." I pushed myself up to a sitting position; I still felt a little unsteady and woozy, though. "I'm - all right. I don't feel as if I have a fever ..." I felt my head for emphasis, keeping the lower half of my body bundled up in the blankets.  
  
He frowned at me, almost scowling. "You passed out for no apparent reason. I would say that requires a doctor."  
  
"But, Wufei ... I am a doctor, and I don't believe I need to see anyone." I gave him a weak, pleading smile. "Please - Wufei, really - I feel all right. I think I was just overtired. Overextended."  
  
Snorting, Wufei raised his eyebrow at me. "You blacked out," he said flatly. "Are you epileptic?"  
  
"No - I don't have seizures," I answered, sitting up straighter. "But really ... really, I'm just fine." I tried to put strength into my voice, tried to make it cheerful.  
  
Folding his arms, Wufei eyed me and stayed silent. He didn't protest - he just looked straight at me and said nothing.  
  
I felt my resolve crumbling; his gaze was heavy, and hard for me to hold. "I - I think I should go back to my room, though - so I can get my clothes."  
  
"I will bring them here. What do you want?"   
  
"Well ... um ... shorts, I suppose .. and a tee shirt ... and underwear. Sandals would be good, too."  
  
Wufei turned red at the mention of 'underwear,' but he carried on, trying to look impervious.  
  
"I can get them, Wufei." I took pity on him, wanting to spare him embarrassment, pushing myself to the side of the bed. "They're just in my room; at least, I THINK they're there. I didn't really have much time to look around the room at all, so I'm not quite sure what's there."  
  
"No. You stay right where you are. I will get what you need."  
  
"Wufei ..."   
  
"Stay there."  
  
He strode out of the room, not giving me a backwards glance, assuming I would obey him. I watched him leave, grateful that he didn't press the issue any more than he had.   
  
I sat up in bed and looked at the sea. Palm trees were swaying in the breeze, the wind innocently coaxing their fronds apart, ocean waves licking at the shore. It was a beautiful day. Everything looked so normal - so natural - so unlike last night ... gads.  
  
I knew it. We were in deep trouble.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Wufei - do you have my phone?"  
  
Peering around the bathroom door, I whispered that last word - force of habit, I suppose. You never know who's around, and I certainly didn't want Treize to find and confiscate it.  
  
"Oh .. hai."   
  
"Thank you," I said as he dropped the cellphone into my waiting hand. "I'll be right out." Pulling back behind the door, I stowed the phone in its usual place, then walked out of the bathroom.   
  
"Now ... do I look as though I have to see a doctor?" I asked Wufei, smiling, spreading my hands so he could see how healthy I appeared in my shorts and tee shirt.  
  
"Yes," he said, giving me an even look. "You're terribly pale and your hands are shaking."  
  
Alarmed, I looked down; sure enough, my hands were shaking. I shoved them into the pockets of my shorts. Gods. Just what I needed.  
  
"Now what's wrong?" Wufei asked, frowning.  
  
I couldn't look at him; I felt tight, so tight. "I - I just feel I was overtired, Wufei. That's all. I don't need to see a doctor." Avoiding his gaze, I went to the overstuffed chair in front of the window and sat down, resolutely looking anywhere except at him.  
  
From the corner of my eye I saw him watch me walk over and sit down, apparently considering what he was going to do.  
  
"You're not all right," he finally said, still eyeing me, "but I will respect your request."  
  
Gratitude washed over me. I glanced at him and gave him a weak smile. "Thank you, Wufei. Thank you. I - I will be all right, I know. I really don't feel ill."  
  
A knock at the door interrupted us. I started, looked at the door, then back at Wufei.  
  
"Come," he said, not taking his gaze from me.  
  
A soldier opened the door. "General Treize requests an answer regarding the bruncheon."  
  
Wufei nodded, still looking at me. "I'll let him know in a moment."  
  
The soldier nodded and left, closing the door behind him.  
  
"I put off breakfast," Wufei said calmly.  
  
"Ah .." I nodded at him, thinking the very last thing I wanted to do was to have breakfast with Treize. "Do I ... are you ..." I stopped and looked at him. "... we have to go?"  
  
"'We?'" Wufei asked, puzzled. "I breakfast with him every day, before we duel. I didn't go today." He shrugged expressively.   
  
"Oh ... I'm sorry, Wufei," I said, nodding. "I didn't mean to hold you back."  
  
"You have not held me back," he said, snorting a little. "If you need nothing else, I will go."  
  
"No, Wufei ... there's nothing else. Thank you for staying with me. And please - be careful."  
  
"Careful? Of what?" he asked, perplexed. Shaking his head, he turned and walked out the doorway, leaving me alone.  
  
I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes and sat for a few minutes, breathing deeply, willing myself calm. My body felt rested, but my mind was exhausted.  
  
Better than someone else, muttered my snarky inner voice. Somebody didn't get any sleep last night, but he's still going to duel. I sighed, fervently hoping that Wufei wouldn't lose too badly today - I knew he wasn't going to be as sharp as usual, so his chances of 'winning' were slim.  
  
'Winning.' Bah. Who was kidding whom? There was no 'winning' here, only surviving.  
  
I sighed and looked outside again. As much as I wanted to stay, I knew I had to get up and get moving. I was hiding in Wufei's room, and I couldn't do that forever. It was an option, but really ... not the best one. I pushed myself out of the chair, walked to the door and slipped into the hallway, not quite knowing where I wanted to go.  
  
Turning my head, my gaze fell on a nondescript door on the left hand side of the corridor. Immediately my stomach lurched and my palms started to get damp. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself, walked over to the door, turned the doorknob, and pulled.  
  
Nothing. The door was locked.  
  
Looking down the corridor, I noticed that most - but not all - doors were open. As I walked in the hall, I tried several of the closed doors; they were all locked. Apparently, open doors were unlocked, but if the door was closed, it was most likely locked. Too strange.  
  
I reached the stairs and was about to go up when a movement near one of the windows caught my attention. It was Wufei and Treize - and they were going to duel.  
  
Outside. With long swords.  
  
The next thing I realized, I was sitting on the windowsill with my nose practically pressed against the glass. Both men - and yes, I considered Wufei a man when he was fighting - were moving and stretching before they dueled, which was not unusual. What I did consider unusual was their conversation before the duel. Normally, I could not have heard them, but the had wind shifted, the transom above the window was open, and their voices drifted through the opening.  
  
"... yes, Wufei, it really was the most marvelous piece to hear. The tone was exquisite, mellow and ..."  
  
Treize was telling Wufei about his night last night. Yay. That was fairly innocuous stuff - rather boring, in fact. I stopped listening after the first few words and just watched them, feeling their body language and attitude would tell me more about the fight and themselves than their conversation ever would.  
  
There was a table set for breakfast, off to the side on the patio, untouched; and there was Wufei, taking off his shirt, his sword leaning against his leg. Treize, too, was standing with his hands in his pockets, his loose shirt open to the waist and his sword leaning against his leg, looking elegant. No one else was in the area, though; it seemed as if all the soldiers had been warned away, allow Treize and Wufei the privacy to duel in peace.  
  
Or in pieces, my mind supplied, helpful as always.  
  
Both men moved onto the sand, barefoot, now testing their footing. Without warning, Wufei lunged at Treize, quickly enough that I wondered if he had giving any warning or indication of his strike. It was an excellent way to use a tactical advantage, but I was surprised. Wufei did not seem the type to take that kind of advantage.  
  
I would have. In fact, given the opportunity, I would have struck when Treize's back was turned.   
  
It was immediately obvious, though, that no warning was necessary; Treize was more than ready for him. Their blades slapped each other as the general came alive, sliding into a classic defense posture, his eyes glittering and narrowed, completely focused on Wufei.  
  
Fighting in the sand was always difficult and tricky, and fighting with swords simply tipped the odds in the favor of the more experienced swordsman; fear for Wufei was a metallic taste in my mouth. As they shuffled across the sand, I could tell that Treize seemed to be allowing Wufei to move as much as he wanted. The general was using a minimal defense, not permitting Wufei's parries and thrusts to penetrate his guard, but doing nothing to actively defend himself.  
  
Wufei was calm, but only because he was making a supreme effort. I could see him trying to rein in his fury, urging himself to attack again and again. His movements were quick, polished, and well timed, but they lacked the control and form of his other fights. He was tired - it was obvious - and guilt dropped over me like a blanket. It was my fault. My fault, because he sat with me all night long and didn't sleep. My fault he was exhausted. Damn, this was not going to go well for him.  
  
I was thinking so much about that problem that I almost missed Wufei's next move. It was sudden, unexpected - and inspired. They had locked swords again, when Wufei delivered a very powerful, neat, roundhouse kick, aimed right at Treize's midsection.  
  
Treize wasn't prepared; without warning, he lost his balance, toppled and dropped to the ground. In a flash, Wufei was standing over him with his sword at his throat. It was an automatic, trained gesture.  
  
His instincts brought him to the brink. The only thing left for him to do was finish the job.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Do it - do it now, Wufei - kill him! Do it! Do it NOW!"  
  
My hands were splayed on the glass. I probably looked like a bug that had been squashed on the inside of the window. The moment I saw Treize go down, both my hands smacked flat against the pane, my forehead pressed against the glass, and I started screaming at Wufei.   
  
"Kill him, Wufei - kill him! NOW! DO IT!"  
  
Wufei, though, was more shocked and tired than anything else, and as such, made one small, fatal mistake. He looked into Treize's eyes.  
  
"Excellent, Wufei - but you neglected to do one thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
He was standing over Treize, one foot between Treize's legs. Frankly, he didn't have much of a choice; it was either that, or straddle Treize's body to get close enough to hold the sword at his throat.   
  
Treize's response to Wufei's question was immediate. He locked his legs together, rolled, and twisted, very neatly throwing Wufei into the sand. Apparently not satisfied with simply downing him, the general then rolled on top of Wufei, effectively pinning him to the ground with his superior weight and strength, his face scant centimeters away from Wufei's.  
  
A horrid expression was on Wufei's face. His teeth were bared slightly, and he looked torn between tears and hot, searing fury. He struggled for a few moments until he discovered it was futile, then gave up and lay quietly under Treize, glaring hatred and hopelessness up at him.  
  
Treize, for his part, did nothing inappropriate - relatively. He simply didn't move. The general held Wufei's arms away from his body and let his weight cover the boy while he watched him struggle. Treize continued to hold him down until Wufei stopped struggling and started to look acutely uncomfortable.  
  
"It is a simple thing to forget, Wufei," Treize said, moving off him and offering the boy a hand up.   
  
Wufei stared at Treize's outstretched hand and pointedly ignored it, looking ill at ease and slightly confused.  
  
Treize pulled his hand back and settled for brushing invisible dust motes from his wrists. "Don't ever hesitate to kill."  
  
He scrambled to his feet and stumbled backwards, staring at Treize, his face suffused with color. There was something wild in the way he looked at Treize, something that showed his distress, his uneasiness and confusion.  
  
"You're going to get me one of these days, Wufei," Treize said with a small smile. "Really - an excellent job." He turned his back on Wufei and walked back to the breakfast table.  
  
I drooped, my forehead pressed against the back of my hands, hands still stuck on the window. Damn, damn, damn.  
  
There was a part of me that urged Wufei to go after him and attack him again, but I knew that would never happen. It would have been completely against any of the 'rules' that had been constructed before they started dueling with each other. Rather than try to assassinate him, Wufei stayed right where he was, his shoulders hunched forward a little, wearing a 'what the hell just happened?' look.   
  
Treize, however, reached the table and was calmly serving himself breakfast. He wasn't waiting for Wufei to join him; it felt as if he knew Wufei would join him eventually.  
  
Gods, that was infuriating. It was as if Treize knew just what Wufei was thinking, what would drive him to do certain things - almost as if he had done this many times before. But that was impossible, because before this war, Wufei had never even seen Treize. Now, suddenly, the general was in his face - and mine - as often as humanly possible.  
  
I turned away from the window, thinking. Treize showed no fear at all - not even when it was clear that Wufei could have skewered him. No fear at all. Did he know Wufei would hesitate? Was that part of his plan, too - see how far he could push Wufei before provoking that kind of response?  
  
Well, feh - I didn't know. I had no idea. What I did know was that I wasn't really hungry, but I did crave tea, and I didn't want to be seen at the moment. Had Treize spotted me, there was no doubt in my mind that he would have insisted I join them; and really, I simply wasn't up to facing him. Not yet.  
  
I slunk away, into the depths of the house.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Reconnaissance seemed to be part of my nature, as was my affinity for guerilla warfare. I instinctively understood how to approach what I wanted with a minimum of noise and fuss, and I was usually able to 'acquire' what I needed without problems.   
  
My luck stayed with me while I wandered through the mansion. I found the kitchen; no one was there, so I was able to satisfy my craving for tea and toast easily. As I ate my breakfast, I pinpointed various things - where the cutting knives were kept, where the fire extinguisher was, and how many different types of cleavers the cooks stored in their drawers.  
  
Not that I'd ever get the opportunity to use them, of course. I was sure they were inventoried hourly since Wufei and I were there.  
  
Bright sunlight filtered through the windows at the back of the room. I walked over, curious to see where this side of the house faced, and found myself looking at Wufei and Treize finishing their breakfast.   
  
It didn't look as though Wufei was responding at all. He was still, and as far as I could tell, silent.   
  
Treize touched his napkin to his lips, leaned over to murmur something to Wufei, stood and nodded to him, and walked toward the house - away from the kitchen entrance, that is. Wufei simply stared after him, not moving a muscle. After a few moments, he, too, rose stiffly from his seat and followed Treize to the house.   
  
I had a bad feeling about Wufei and his reaction to their 'duel.' I stuck my teacup in the dishwasher and hurried out the door, intent on getting to the dining room at the same time Wufei came indoors.  
  
I was too late, though. By the time I reached the hallway near the dining room I saw Wufei sweeping through, marching down the opposite hall toward the exercise rooms. Intent on following him, I changed direction and started toward the opposite end of the house.  
  
And in the process, almost bumped into Treize.  
  
He steadied me, holding both my shoulders and peered into my face, smiling. "Ah, Sally! You look much better - I'm glad to see it. Still no doctor, though?"  
  
Gads - he's handling me again. I pulled back a little, not enough to break his grip, shaking my head slightly. "Ah .. no, thank you, Treize. Really. I'm feeling much better."  
  
Patting my shoulder encouragingly, he looked at me, still smiling but with an edge of concern in his manner. "Please, Sally, do take care. Let someone know if you feel ill. I would feel terrible if you somehow overexerted yourself."  
  
"I - I will, Treize. I promise."  
  
There was absolutely no sign of that darkness I saw in his eyes last night, nothing controlling, no coercion at all - and now I was wondering what kind of waking dream I'd had. I watched him as he walked away. In spite of myself, it was hard not to notice how his shirt clung to his broad shoulders and molded to his back. And his skin tone - ah, it really WAS golden. He did look golden, all over. That prodded something in my memory, something about his appearance last night that was unusual.  
  
I blinked. Why, he had been golden then, too.  
  
Now I was bothered, and wanted to find Wufei. I spotted him trotting down the corridor, almost out of sight. Hurrying after him, I filed Treize's appearance away, intending on thinking about that later. Later, when I wasn't as concerned about Wufei.  
  
I found Wufei in another room of the house, one I hadn't had the opportunity to explore. It was completely white, floor to ceiling. The walls and the floor were slightly padded; the padding looked slightly damaged at the far end of the room, next to the only window.  
  
Wufei was there, at the opposite end of the room, and was concentrating on one spot on the wall. As I watched, incredulous, he deliberately drew his hand back, aimed, and started using that spot on the wall for target practice.  
  
No wonder the padding looked damaged. Wufei was literally beating the stuffing out of the wall.  
  
I walked into the room, crossed over to one side and sat, with my back to the wall and my arms across my knees. I sat there for quite a while, watching him pulverize that spot.  
  
He stopped every once in a while to look at it, but otherwise continued smacking the same spot, his aim and execution flawless. Had any of his blows connected with a person, he would have broken bones.   
  
His pace was picking up, becoming a little more frantic. Baring his teeth, Wufei grimaced and continued, grimly pounding the wall into oblivion.  
  
"Wufei."  
  
No response, except for an accelerated tempo of hits on the wall.  
  
That concerned me. Actually, I thought he was hitting the wall with enough force to break the bones in his hand. One slip, and they'd be splinters. I rose and walked over to him, trying to make my tone calm and rational.  
  
"Wufei."  
  
He stopped, dropping his fist to his side. Then without any warning at all, he swung and slammed that fist into the wall as hard as he could, ignoring form or style or his own safety.   
  
"If you break your hand, you won't be able to use it for quite a while."  
  
SLAM!   
  
"What difference would it make?" he demanded, his voice cracking a bit.   
  
"It would make a great deal of difference to me, Wufei."  
  
"Why ... can't I ..." He didn't finish his statement; instead, he choked and slammed his hand into the wall once more, snarling, his teeth bared.  
  
"Wufei." I put my hands on his shoulder and pulled gently. "Wufei, that's enough ... please."  
  
"Kisama!" he spat, slamming his fist into the wall again. He leaned against the wall, panting, his forehead pressed against it, almost slumping in defeat. He was also holding his hand, cradling it in front of his body as if it was injured.  
  
"Wufei - let me see that, please." I put every ounce of professionalism into my voice I could. Reaching around him, I lightly touched the hand covering his bruised fist. "Please, Wufei ... let me see it ..."  
  
"Why won't they let me die?" he said tonelessly, as if he didn't hear me. "I've shamed them enough."  
  
Gently, I took his covering hand away from the injured one and started probing the knuckles, inspecting. "Obviously, you still have some business to finish here," I murmured. "You can't leave until your task is finished; and apparently, your ancestors believe that, too."  
  
"Gods. Why am I here?" he moaned. "I am not capable of doing whatever they want - I'm not even sure I should be doing it!"  
  
"You don't shame your ancestors by trying to finish your task," I said, holding his hand. He bruised it, and it was going to show, but other than that, there were no broken bones. "Many things take entire lifetimes or more to finish."  
  
After a moment, he looked over at me, anguish plain in his eyes. "Why are you touching me?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe I would want to dirty myself with the likes of him.  
  
"Because, Wufei, I'm a doctor, and I'm your friend. Your hand is badly bruised, but not broken."  
  
"I know it's not broken," he said, frowning. "I didn't miss once."  
  
"That's true - your accuracy is astounding," I said, motioning to his knuckles with my free hand. "You've also built up an incredible amount of scar tissue here. It protects the bones back to your wrist."  
  
"My accuracy is useless," he said, obviously ignoring everything else I said.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
Wufei took his time in answering me. He pushed away from the wall, reclaimed his hand from my grasp, and looked into my face. That frantic sense of anger had swept away, leaving sadness and despair in its wake.   
  
"Wufei - please talk to me."  
  
"And tell you what?" he asked, his voice flat and dead.   
  
I sighed. "Why did you say that your accuracy is useless?"  
  
Closing his eyes and leaning his back against the wall, Wufei said evenly, "He is never going to kill me. Never."  
  
My lips tightened in response. Good, I thought. "He - I believe he wants you alive, Wufei. He can't duel without you."  
  
He was still for a moment. "He hates me that much. He knows I want to die, or he would have never made me promise."  
  
"I don't think he hates you at all, Wufei. I simply believe he wants you to live." I looked at him, curious. "What did he make you promise?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You'd rather not tell me?" I asked, considering him.   
  
After a moment, Wufei relented. "He made me promise not to die. He ... took that away from me."  
  
"Do you mean - he made you promise not to kill yourself?"  
  
"Yes," he said, his voice low.   
  
Gods. That was exactly what Treize told me last night, in my ... dream. If it was a dream.   
  
Concentrate on Wufei, Sally. You can think about that - other issue - later. I could feel the despair running behind his words. "You have not failed in your mission, Wufei. You have had a setback. It may take years to achieve your goal - but you will do it."  
  
"Will I?" he asked, aching with pain.  
  
"Yes," I nodded, projecting reassurance and calm. "It's probably the most difficult thing you've ever done in your life, Wufei - but you will win. And Wufei ... he will never 'let' you win. You need to take that for yourself. But I know you'll win. I know you will."  
  
Silent again, Wufei stood in front of me. "He doesn't want me for death," he finally said, looking down.  
  
"No," I responded. "He does not. But what he wants really makes no difference - you must concentrate on your goal. Your goal is diametrically opposed to his. You seek his death, while he seeks your life."  
  
"It matters, because is IS his goal. He wants - he wants to keep me," Wufei said. His voice was expressionless, dead, but at the same time incredulous, as if he couldn't believe Treize wanted that at all.  
  
I was taken aback. Guaranteed he did NOT understand that concept yesterday. Neither did I - not completely, anyway. Again, this was something that the Treize in my 'dream' had said to me, and now ... Wufei was confirming it.  
  
"Yes, I think you're right. He does want to keep you here - with him."  
  
"Why? When he receives more proof every day how weak I am. Does he enjoy mocking me that much?" He sounded broken, defeated. It finally dawned on me that he has been going through this for at least the last six weeks, if not longer; and the majority of that time he had been alone.  
  
And he hadn't cracked. Not yet. Gods, this boy had stores of strength I could only guess at.  
  
I sighed. "It is NOT weakness to duel day after day, Wufei - that is a sign of great strength of character. Do you believe you will win when you duel?"  
  
A long silence fell between us. "I do not know how to answer you."  
  
"You hope, then. You hope you will win. And when your hopes are dashed, day after day, you still continue to try."  
  
"I have nothing else to DO," he protested. "There is nothing else I CAN do! It is my only option."  
  
"You honor your ancestors with your tenacity, Wufei. You have not given up on your goal."  
  
He snorted. "I am not even sure that I should. I fail them day after day. I do not see how that brings anyone honor - except Treize."  
  
I sighed. He would never be convinced that he had any worth at all, at least not by talking about it. We needed a change of scene. I looked around at the sterile room and shuddered. This was NOT the place I wanted to be, not at all.  
  
"Wufei - let's go take a walk down by the sea." I reached out and tugged on his arm, more to get him moving away from the wall and toward the door than anything else.   
  
He blinked and to my surprise, moved away from the wall and toward the door, exactly as I had asked, not arguing.  
  
Good. Surprising, but good. I took him out of that room as quickly as possible.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
We walked by the sea for a while, talking about nothing and everything. There wasn't much to say that would lighten Wufei's mood, but I wanted him to talk. Sometimes, simply having someone to talk to, even though both of us knew there was nothing that could reasonably be done to change our situation, helped.  
  
No one stopped or challenged us as we made our way from the mansion to the sea. Several soldiers did spare a look in our direction - and I had the distinct impression they were staring at me - but once they saw Wufei, they shrugged and went on their way, saying nothing.  
  
It really was a glorious day - the sun was shining brightly, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the temperature was perfect. Sand that looked as finely ground as powdered sugar whispered between our toes and on the soles of our feet as we wandered in the surf. Wufei looked out across the water, pensive, his eyes drawn and tired.  
  
I followed his gaze, thinking. There was something I was supposed to ask him - about a breakfast, or -  
  
'Ask him what he said to me on our fourth breakfast together. I'm sure you will be going to see him soon after this.'  
  
Treize's voice rang in my mind, reminding me of what I needed to do.   
  
Swallowing, I turned to Wufei. "Wufei ... ah ... do you remember the fourth breakfast you had with Treize? What - what did you talk about?"  
  
He turned and stared at me a moment. "What an odd question," he murmured, blinking at me.  
  
My pulse beat a little faster. Not that I needed proof that something happened last night; 'proof' was popping up all over the place, in random conversation. This was something, though, that was directed, and I was curious. I looked at him and waited.  
  
"Yes, I remember," he said, slowly, tearing his gaze from the sea to the sand in front of him. "We ... spoke of many things. Different things." Color washed up from his neck and across his face as he continued. "We discussed ... politics. Languages. Sexuality. Religion."   
  
Ah - sexuality. Hence, the blushing.  
  
"And conscience."  
  
"Conscience? And sexuality?" I repeated. "An interesting combination."  
  
Wufei nodded. "He wanted to know what I thought of it. Sexuality, I mean. And as to conscience, I accused him of having none. Of ... simply doing what he was doing because he didn't want to lose."   
  
"I .. ah .. noticed that," I said, shaking my head. No kidding he doesn't like to lose.  
  
Shrugging, Wufei continued. "That's his only reason for doing things. Because he can - and because he doesn't like to lose."  
  
"What was his reaction to what you said?"  
  
Frowning slightly, Wufei paused, thinking. "He looked ... pleased. As if I'd somehow done the opposite of disappointing him."  
  
Now that was weird. "You mean - he was happy when you told him he had no conscience, and that the only reason he was doing anything was because he didn't like to lose?" Gods, he liked that? He was stranger than I though.  
  
Wufei nodded. "Yes."  
  
"But - but what would he lose? What were you talking about at that point that he could have lost?"  
  
"Nothing, really. I was simply analyzing him, and the fact that he didn't really care about anything. It was almost as though he was doing things to keep from being bored. I told him that, and he looked - satisfied." He shrugged again, confused. "I told Duo later. He stared at me the same way you are. Duo told Trowa, I know. He - Trowa - didn't seem surprised."  
  
"No..." I stopped speaking and looked at the water, sunlight literally sparkling and dancing off the waves. It looked so safe and peaceful; the contrast between the appearance of peace and what we were discussing was almost laughable.  
  
Quietly, trying to keep that hysterical, furious note out of my voice, I murmured, "He was ... bored. Bored. Wufei. Do you realize what that means? - that this man started a war because he was bored? Millions of people died, because he was bored..." I trailed off, almost too angry to speak. "I never believed the speeches anyway, but ... gods. This was all just to keep him amused?"  
  
"...he has reasons," Wufei said, looking at the water again.  
  
"My navigator died ... my helmsman died ... "  
  
"...beauty. Glory of man. Things like that. But ... that is at the heart of it, I believe." He sighed. "I could be wrong."  
  
I couldn't hide my feelings anymore. "My people died. They died, Wufei. People who believed in freedom and were ready to die for it - they gave their lives for their convictions. And why? Because this - this man -" I spat the word out, I was so angry - "- this man started a war because - he - was - BORED?"  
  
"He didn't start it. Romefeller started it."  
  
The sound of the surf washed around and over us. I was silent for a moment, pulling myself together. Calm, Sally, be calm. It doesn't help anyone when you're so angry you can hardly think. "Fine. That could be true - but tell me, Wufei, who overthrew Romefeller?"  
  
"Treize," he said softly.  
  
"Did the war stop?"  
  
Wufei made a derisive sound through his teeth. "Supposedly, it has."  
  
I sighed. It was a bitter feeling, being trapped on an island paradise by your enemy. I hated that feeling.   
  
Change the subject, Sally, before your feelings eat you up alive.  
  
"So ... what did you tell him you thought about sexuality?"  
  
The poor boy started a bit, but rallied and shrugged, blushing again. "That is was a lot of work for seven seconds of pleasure, and a mess to clean up afterwards. Remember? He laughed at me."  
  
"Oh .. yes, I remember." I frowned, hearing Treize's voice in my head again: '...sex ... is terribly messy...'   
  
Wufei did look awfully embarrassed, but was pushing forward, not shying away from the conversation.   
  
Well ... that wasn't going to help us now. I sighed. "Okay, Wufei. What do we do?"  
  
He looked at me, not understanding. "Do?"  
  
Raising my eyebrow at him, I nodded. "Well .. yes. Do. We should do something. Unless you've taken to being reformed."  
  
He gave me a puzzled look. "Woman, you've lost me. Do about WHAT?"  
  
"Our situation, Wufei. We may be imprisoned, but there is nothing saying that we can't give our friends on the outside information ... since," and I gestured back to the house, "since we seem to be kept at a military complex. Don't tell me there aren't things here that wouldn't help the fight outside."  
  
"I am imprisoned, and without Nataku."  
  
"Understood," I said gently. "I am not asking you to go back on any promises you made to Treize, Wufei. I would never do that. I am asking, though, whether you believe there may be a way around your word - some way in which we could help our friends."  
  
He gave me a dry look. "What do you think I've been doing?"  
  
"I don't know," I replied, watching him.   
  
"Quatre has been coming to see me. In his gundam." The last was said very softly - even though we were alone, by the waves, there was no way to tell whether or not someone could have overheard. "He is not with his family - the news said he was released back to them, but he did not go. And he has Sandrock."  
  
I stared at him, completely shocked, and nearly stumbled over my own feet. But I recovered, finding my balance again, and kept walking with him. I was very glad the breeze was blowing from the shore to the sea - our voices wouldn't be carried toward the mansion. "Are you planning anything?"  
  
"No. I am not a strategist. But Quatre is. What information I can give, I have been giving him. Consistently. We use flashlights and Morse code."  
  
And there was another shock - that he was actively doing something with Quatre. I was amazed, and rather happy to find there was still fight left in Wufei.   
  
"Is he in touch with Trowa?" I asked, squinting at him. Meaning, of course, that both he and Duo would have that information.  
  
"I don't know. That is out of my hands." He looked mildly insulted, as if I had grossly underestimated him.  
  
"I'm sorry, Wufei. I didn't mean to doubt you - and I certainly meant no disrespect. I have been feeling ... not quite myself ... the past several days."  
  
He nodded, dismissing it, and looked out at the sea again. "I swam out too far, once," he said, his eyes fastened on a spot at the horizon. "On purpose."   
  
I looked up at him. "What happened? Did someone come out to get you?"  
  
"No," he replied, his tone even. "I managed to make it back. But .. I was exhausted." He turned his gaze to me; bleak, tired, and with something not quite identifiable. "We should go back."  
  
I nodded. "All right."  
  
We walked through the scrub on the dunes toward the house. Wufei, who had been silent for several minutes said, seemingly out of context, "He is not trustworthy."  
  
That was a strange thing to say, right out of the blue. I knew he was referring to Treize, and what he said was true enough, but ... "What? what do you mean?"  
  
He shrugged, his white tunic gleaming in the sun. "He is untrustworthy. That does not make him a fool - he can be right on many things. Most things, in fact. That is what makes him dangerous. A fool who deludes himself is easier to deal with than an evil man who knows the truth."  
  
I agreed wholeheartedly. "He's clever, Wufei. And ruthless."  
  
"And ..." Wufei frowned. His expression changed into one of total confusion. " ... he ..."  
  
"He what?" I prompted gently.  
  
Wufei looked confused and miserable. With his head down, he mumbled, " ... and ... I don't know. Nothing. Let's go inside."  
  
"You don't want to tell me?" I asked, trotting next to him. "It can't be nothing if you react this way."  
  
We walked in silence toward the mansion. The random soldiers outside hardly gave Wufei a second glance, although I could feel their gazes, heavy and suspicious, lingering over me. I ignored them. They could ALL go pound sand, as far as I was concerned. What was I going to do, for heaven's sake? I wasn't even armed.   
  
"He's never left me alone this long before," Wufei suddenly blurted out.   
  
Wow ... that was odd. "You miss being with him..." I studied him, looking at his face, his hands ... and realized what I said was true. He did miss being with him, as much as he proclaimed he didn't' trust him.  
  
"No," Wufei denied. That was an automatic response, though. I could feel the uncertainly coming from him. "No ..."  
  
I sighed. NOW I could see what was happening, and I didn't like it at all. The battle lines were drawn, and somehow, Wufei had become the prize between Treize and me. Gods. I hated Treize even more.  
  
"I'm not used to being unscheduled," Wufei continued, rubbing his face with one hand. "I have ... nothing to do."  
  
I grimaced. The fact that he had just been walking and talking with ME on the beach, I suppose, was nothing ...  
  
"His conversation is stimulating. It's been over a year since I could talk with anyone like that. Nobody else even cares what I'm talking about."  
  
And there we were. Apparently, walking and talking with me actually did mean nothing. "I don't believe that's true, Wufei," I said quietly. Had there been a knife thrust into my gut, it would have started twisting about this time.  
  
"You didn't even know what Occam's Razor was -" he said, accusing. But then he stopped speaking and looked at me. I glanced at him, then looked away. Not fast enough, though.  
  
He shook his head and sighed. "I'm ... sorry. I know you expressed an interest in me. That ... is not what I meant."  
  
Shrugging, I kept my gaze on the path in front of us. "It's all right, Wufei. Nothing to apologize for." Just keep twisting that knife in my gut. Once everything's been cut out, then I won't feel anything any more.   
  
Damn you, Treize.  
  
We walked the rest of the way to the house in silence.   
  
I nodded at him. "I think I'll go up to my room. Thank you, Wufei, for taking care of me last night. I appreciate it." I gave him a small smile and turned for the stairs.  
  
A small, choked sound pulled my attention back to him. "I would never have done anything else," he said, his voice low. "I don't know what I am - to him, or anyone else - but I would never do anything other to you."  
  
"I know you wouldn't, Wufei," I replied, giving him another small smile. "I trust you completely."  
  
"Perhaps you shouldn't," he responded, pain clearly in his eyes. He turned away and walked down the corridor toward his own room, his head down.  
  
I looked after him for a moment, then turned to go up the stairs, dejected. I fervently prayed I could find my room again, because I surely didn't want to ask anyone where it was.  
  
Fortunately, it wasn't hard. I recognized it as soon as I left the staircase. The door was closed, but unlocked.   
  
So, apparently, I'm not permitted to lock my door for privacy, but anyone else could. I reflected sourly on that. Nasty thing, being someone else's prisoner. Your basic rights were taken away, and only if you pleased your warden would they be given back to you, one by one, doled out like treats to a favorite pet.  
  
Feh. I was in a bad mood.  
  
The room was as bright and airy as I remembered, bringing a little cheer to my heart. Someone had left a tray of food, as well - fruit, and cheeses, milk and tea, and some marvelous homemade bread - and there was a note for me propped up on the tray.  
  
Curious, I opened it.   
  
"My dearest Sally -   
  
I was encouraged to see you up and about this morning. Please do not take any chances with your health - should you feel the slightest bit ill, please let me know, and I will ensure you are taken care of immediately.  
  
And please do enjoy this light repast! I would also encourage you to get as much rest as you can. Dinner is at eight - however, do not feel that you must appear. If you are feeling unwell or tired, I will have something sent up to your room. Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you to make you more comfortable.  
  
Take care -  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Treize"  
  
That was it. The very last thing I wanted to see was any communication from that man. I crushed the note between my hands and violently flung it into the trash can, then hurled the entire tray of cheese and fruit after it. Nothing shattered on the floor, but the bowls and tray did make rather a horrible noise clanging about.  
  
I realized I was gripping the bread in one hand. I left the mess on the floor, dropped down into the large chair facing the window and brooded.   
  
"Anything you can do for me, you .." I found I was speaking out loud, staring at the sea. "You could start, Treize, by giving me back Wufei."  
  
~And what makes you think he's mine to give?~  
  
I was breathing faster, staring at the sea, but I didn't see anything at all. I just heard something ... someone ... in my head? ... but I couldn't have heard anyone, because there's no one there, and things like that really didn't happen, because people couldn't do that ...  
  
No. Ridiculous. You're overtied, Sally Po. You're picturing the man with fangs, for pity's sake, sitting right in front of you when he's actually miles away ... and now he can speak to you in your head?  
  
No. I rubbed my head, dully wondering if I had hit my head a little too hard when I was thrown from my horse on Tuesday. Perhaps this is a delayed concussion..? At any rate, I needed some rest.   
  
I ate a little of the bread, and put it down on the table next to the chair. Rubbing my aching temples, I thought I felt the beginning of a migraine. The sun glinting off the water would speed that along, too. I sighed, resolutely pushing everything else out of my mind, drew my legs up to my chin and closed my eyes, sinking back into the chair.  
  
I was on the verge of falling asleep when my phone started to vibrate.  
  
Shocked, I retrieved the phone from its hiding place, flipped open the lid and whispered, "Hello?"  
  
"Hey - you still going to the opera on Friday?"   
  
I squinted against the bright sunlight. It was Duo, and he sounded abnormally cheerful. "As far as I know," I replied, tired. "We're going to Milan, from what I remember. I think we're going to dinner there, too."  
  
"All RIGHT!" he chortled into the phone. "Just be sure you gotta go to the bathroom during intermission. See ya!"  
  
"What?" I asked, feeling a little slow - but he had already disconnected.  
  
Sighing, I put the phone away, leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes. . How on earth is he going to get into the ladies' bathroom? I pictured Duo in a maid's uniform and high heels, waiting for me in the bathroom of an opera house, before I dozed off.  
  
I think I fell asleep with a smile on my face. 


	19. Chapter 18

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Tapestry - Chapter 18  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
I opened my eyes to see sparkling blue water with the sun setting behind it. It took me a couple of moments to realize where I was, but once I did, everything that had happened that day came flooding back.  
  
Gads. I felt as though entire days were being crammed into one or two smaller hours.  
  
And now someone was knocking at my door. Actually, rapping would be more accurate. I unfolded myself from the chair, rose stiffly, and hobbled over to the door.   
  
Opening the door a crack, I saw a young woman standing smartly at attention on the opposite side. Her cropped dark hair dangling across her face with a bright, cheerful smile.  
  
"Yes...?" I said, cautiously peering at her.  
  
"Dinner time, ma'am. I was sent to see if you were well enough to join them."  
  
I blinked at her. "Ah .. well .. yes, I think so." I looked down at my clothes. "I should probably change, though -"  
  
"I don't see why. Nobody else is," she chimed in, still smiling her megawatt smile. "It's all very relaxed. But if you're well, I'll send notice that you can come down for dinner. If not, Treize-sama will have food sent up to you."  
  
I stared at her. I didn't remember anyone saying Treize's name with that kind of inflection except for Une; and privately, I thought Une was obsessed with him. The way she looked at him when we disembarked yesterday was enough to send chills down MY spine. Ick.  
  
"Well ... all right. I'll come down with you, then." My head still ached a little, and I wasn't all the way awake, but .. feh. Really, there wasn't much of a choice. And it would give me another chance to see Wufei.  
  
The young soldier nodded happily and strode down the hallway, not waiting to see if I was following her or not.  
  
Sighing, I followed her. Yet another fun-filled evening awaited me.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
She led me downstairs and took me in a completely different direction. I hadn't been in this room before - it was light and comfortable, like the rest of the house, and not at all formal. Decorated in a Savannah style, much of the furniture was wicker. Plants of every variety and color overflowed the room, giving it the air of a small, carefully controlled jungle.   
  
It was lovely - the feeling of openness that pervaded the mansion continued here. There was a smallish table set at the opposite end of the room, where Treize and Wufei were standing and talking. I noticed four place settings, and wondered who the fourth was that would be joining us. Certainly, not this young girl leading me over to them.   
  
"Sally! It is so good to see you!"  
  
Treize absolutely beamed at me as he walked forward and took my hands in his. "How are you feeling? Are you well enough to join us? I certainly don't want you feeling any pressure to do so ..."  
  
I glanced at the young woman with us, who was now giving adoring looks at the general. I snorted softly to myself - obviously, her circuits overloaded long ago. She had that "ooooo" look about her that reminded me of Une.   
  
Shuddering delicately, I looked up at Treize and said with a small smile, "I'm feeling well now, thank you. Well enough to join you, if that's all right."  
  
"But of course, my dear, that's perfectly all right." Still beaming, he put one hand behind my back and gently steered me to the table, then pulled a chair out for me.  
  
"Ah ... thank you, Treize," I murmured, remembering my manners just in time. "Hello, Wufei," I said, looking across the table and smiling at him.  
  
Wufei nodded back at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone enter the room from a different doorway and walk briskly toward the table. Treize was just settling me in my chair when I turned and saw who the other person was.  
  
Lady Une.  
  
My smile froze in place as I mentally kicked myself for not expecting something like this from him. And from her expression of utter and absolute loathing, it appeared that she wasn't prepared to see me, either.  
  
Heh. Surprises for the guests all around, hmm?  
  
"Lady Une! I'm so glad you could join us. Please, have a seat." Treize gestured at the open chair next to me with a gracious wave and smile as he moved to the opposite end of the table.  
  
My gaze shifted to Treize as he took his seat next to me. "What a pleasant surprise," I said insincerely, wishing the ground would open and swallow BOTH of them simultaneously.  
  
But would Fate work for me? Not on your life. They were both still sitting on either side of me. Feh.  
  
Une took her seat, her back ramrod straight, pulled her chair in herself, and sent a sweeping glare across the table at me and Wufei.  
  
Wufei, for his part, glared right back with a look that could have melted steel.  
  
"Now, now ... none of that," Treize said, raising his eyebrow. "We agreed. Salad?"   
  
I swung my gaze over to Une, looking at her critically. Your hair's pulled back too tight, Une. It'll give you headaches, as sure as I'm sitting here.  
  
A small smile tugged at Treize's lips as he served the salad himself, passing bowls around the table. "I'm sorry for the informality, ladies and gentlemen, but I simply couldn't handle another formal evening. Please - relax, and enjoy yourself."  
  
Une seemed rather scandalized that Treize was actually serving the salad - I suppose she thought there should be a servant doing that. I watched with great interest as Une stabbed her salad into submission; in fact, I nearly laughed as I watched her kill a cherry tomato. In contrast, Wufei was eating calmly, I was simply trying to blend into the background, and it appeared that Treize was watching everyone and enjoying himself immensely.  
  
What a weird little group.  
  
Treize, of course, was the perfect host, doing his best to engage everyone in conversation. He had deftly changed the topic of conversation several times; now he was discussing his plans for Friday, which was tomorrow. I had stopped listening a while ago, and was simply smiling and nodding - but I was vaguely surprised to realize, again, that I had only been awake since late Monday afternoon. This was Thursday evening - so all in all, I had only really been awake for three full days. Gads, it felt as if I had lived three full years during that time.  
  
Well, certainly. Your sleep patterns haven't been very good.  
  
I felt my eyes widen as I stared at my plate. No. I did not just hear that voice in my head again. I fumbled for my water glass, not looking at anyone seated at the table, feeling the blood drain away from my face.  
  
I heard Une responding with enthusiasm to anything Treize posed to the table at large, as if there was a prize for The Most Animated Dinner Guest. Your obsession is showing, Une, I thought wryly.  
  
Really, I couldn't wait for this meal to be over. The potential for Une amusement was high - watching her perform, unwittingly, was priceless - but I was weary of the banter, and I didn't feel as though I was connecting with Wufei at all.  
  
He sat at the table with a strangely blank look, eating automatically, sullen when replying to a direct question from Treize, but not volunteering anything on his own.   
  
I couldn't eat much. I did push my food around on my plate, making it look like I was eating - if anyone was watching, that is - but I really wasn't. The food was probably delicious and well prepared, but to me, it tasted like cardboard.  
  
Finally, dinner was over.  
  
Treize looked at Une and me. "Please feel free to amuse yourself tonight. There are many different diversions you may choose - television, computer, video games, books - whatever you would like. Don't hesitate to ask if something you would like to do is not immediately apparent. However, Wufei and I do have some other matters to attend to. Come, Wufei."  
  
Treize was standing next to the table. He sketched a slight bow to both Une and me, then turned and headed for one of the libraries. Wufei pushed himself away from the table and trotted right after him, not looking right or left, and not bothering to say good-bye, either.  
  
Well. I looked over at Une, who was staring daggers at Wufei's back. I can't say I blamed him. She was a rather ... intense ... person.  
  
No, no, no, my inner voice chided. Tell the truth. The woman's clearly obsessed, and willing to kill anything that gets in her way of that obsession.   
  
I smiled, not missing the irony in our situation. "Well, Lady Une. It seems we've been left at loose ends."  
  
On purpose, that hateful little voice of mine snickered.  
  
Oh, just shut up. Please.  
  
Une didn't seem to hear me. She was still staring at Wufei's back, probably trying to make it burst into flame. Finally, though, she seemed to realize I had said something and was waiting for a response. "What?" she said, looking at me, puzzled.  
  
"I said - it seems we've been left at loose ends."  
  
"Are you suggesting some kind of - activity?" The way she enunciated that last word, you might think I had just suggested we both shuck our clothes and roll around in a strawberry field before making mad, passionate love.  
  
As if.  
  
"Well - why not?" I decided to play along, figuring the potential for amusement at Une's expense was quite high. "What kind of games are YOU good at, Lady Une?"  
  
Frankly, the conversation was proving to be a little out of her league. She glared at me, hating every syllable I uttered. "Treize-sama gives you too many liberties," she spit out, barely containing her fury.  
  
"I'm sure many people share your opinion, Lady Une," I said, frosty and coldly formal to her. "But he seems to find the arrangement satisfactory, don't you think?"  
  
Narrowing her eyes in obvious dislike, Une stood, turned and marched away from the table with all the military dignity she could muster, flouncing into one of the hallways, her little ribbons bouncing with every step.  
  
A few moments later, I heard a door slam; in fact, I was pretty sure that everyone within earshot heard it.   
  
I sighed. Oh, well. There went my entertainment.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Left to my own devices again, I decided to poke though the rooms on this side of the mansion. Not all of them were locked, and truth be told, I was curious. This was a military post, after all, and I had seen precious little in the way of equipment or other proofs of a military presence.  
  
If I could find some communications equipment, I might be able to do something for Duo and Trowa. Perhaps I wasn't free, in the conventional sense - but I certainly had a lot of freedom around here, as Une pointed out. There must be something I could do - some information I could find and pass on to them that would help them in the fight.  
  
It was quite dark outside now, or I would have considered taking a walk outside the mansion. However, becoming an unwitting meal for those huge hounds that guarded the island wasn't something I wanted to experience. I shuddered a little, thinking of the long, gleaming teeth of that dog Treize had "introduced."  
  
Well. He had made his point. I was staying indoors, thanks all the same.  
  
I looked into several rooms; they were all empty, most had huge bookcases and a desk, and many of them had windows of some sort. There were several music rooms and there was an audio/video room, something that looked as if it held up to date vid equipment and such.   
  
Wufei and Treize were ensconced in one of the library rooms, pouring over some kind of papers. Treize was patiently explaining the intricacies of some kind of contract to him, and when I walked past, Wufei looked sullen - as if he had been given a new school assignment.  
  
"That makes no sense, given what you told me before," Wufei challenged, eyeing Treize. "It would be a better option to ..."  
  
I walked away before hearing the rest of the question and Treize's answer. It was an odd contrast - Wufei as a student, and Treize as his mentor. Treize had looked quite pleased with himself as he started to explain the point to which Wufei objected.  
  
Sighing, I left, feeling slightly bitter as well. It felt as if I was playing some kind of game with Treize in which Wufei was the prize; and if that was true, then the deck was stacked against me.   
  
This would be when my cellphone started vibrating for the second time that day. I gasped a little and ducked into the vid room - the nearest empty room - closed the door, turned my back, and leaned on it. "Hello?"  
  
Duo's voice crackled across the aether at me. "Hey - you heard the news? If you're close to a vidscreen, turn it on. It's on all the channels."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I murmured into the phone, but obediently turned on the vidscreen and adjusted the volume. One of the national news anchors was broadcasting, along with several other nationally known politicians and a few people who didn't look 'famous' at all.  
  
"What's this about?" It was difficult to follow exactly what they were saying, primarily because the 'ordinary' people were trying to crawl out of the corner the politicians threw them into.  
  
"Oh," Duo sighed, "Une ... was really effective. The colonies are going with Treize - most of them, anyway. They're talking it out right now. There are all these debates going on, but they're mostly just because people are upset. They're not losing control. Sure." He sounded bitter. "They just finally decided to put the economic universe to USE and entering into TRADE with one another."  
  
It felt as though we were defeated. We might as well throw in the towel right now. "What's the point, Duo? What's the point anymore?"  
  
"It doesn't MATTER, Sal. I don't care what they think," Duo said, heated anger in his words. "They don't know any better. They're like kids getting into drugs, or something. It's still up to us - that part doesn't change, even if the colonies are all run by assholes."  
  
"How many are we fighting now, Duo? We're supposed to be fighting FOR these people, and they go and -" I broke off, shrugging. "Well. You know."  
  
"It's gotta be done, Sal," Due said after a moment of silence.   
  
"I know. It's just becoming harder and harder. We don't even get a chance to breathe, Duo. We can't buy a break." And I wasn't just talking about the colonies, either.  
  
"It's just the same as it's always been, Sal. It's us against them." I could almost feel him grinning through the phone. "Or can't you take the odds? It's just like on the street. Us. Them. We win, 'cause we don't stop. Period."  
  
"Yes, okay Duo," I laughed. "I can take the odds. And you know? - I think we win, because we'll do whatever we have to."  
  
"Hah! That, and we have GREAT toys!" he chortled  
  
Was he talking about what I thought he was talking about? I heard drills and something clanging in the background. "Oh - you mean the LARGE ones?"  
  
"The REALLY large ones!" he laughed.   
  
"And they're ready to play with?"  
  
"Mostly," he said. "The best toys take lots of maintenance."  
  
"I'm so pleased you found something to play with - and it sounds as if you found someONE to play with, too ..."  
  
"Oh, yeah! Music to my ears, baby!"  
  
I could hear Heero growl at him in the background. "Would you PLEASE keep it down? I'm trying to concentrate."  
  
I laughed again, feeling lighter and more at ease. "Thank you, Duo. I needed that. I -"  
  
There was a sound outside the door, as if someone was walking up and turning the knob.  
  
"Later," I hissed into the phone, then slammed it closed and dropped it back into its hiding place. I wasn't sure if someone was actually out there, but it was better being safe than caught.  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry - I didn't realize this room was occupied." A soft, familiar feminine voice spoke; I turned and looked, and there was a small, delicate, very femme Japanese woman at the door. I didn't recognize her, either. She was very pretty, with long chestnut hair, wearing a lovely suit - and something jogged my memory.   
  
Good heavens - it was Une.  
  
My jaw nearly hit the floor. "Lady - Lady Une?" I stammered, staring at her.   
  
"Hai," she said quietly, blushing - yes, she was blushing, I could hardly believe it myself. "I am sorry to disturb you, Ms. Po." She turned to leave.  
  
"But .. wait ..." I was at a loss for words as Une turned and waited, polite and silent, a small smile on her face.   
  
And .. gods, she was sparkly. There was something about her that was at once demure, gracious, and caring. Not at all what her other persona was like.   
  
"Have a good night, Lady Une," I said, feeling rather stupid for calling her back, giving her a lame smile.  
  
"Thank you ever so much, Ms. Po. I hope the rest of your evening is pleasant." She beamed at me, turned and walked down the corridor - and as she left, the vidscreen started broadcasting a speech she had given yesterday to some of the representatives of the colonies, exhorting them gently to pursue the path of peace.  
  
"...we must strive to KEEP our peace. Peace is the most important thing to us all - peace is what feeds our very souls ..."  
  
I could hardly believe the transformation - and seeing Une like this after the relative unpleasantness of dinner, and hearing her words, was simply surreal.  
  
Shaking my head, I decided it was time for me to go back to my room and go to bed. I was feeling completely wiped out and confused, and really .. .any more input like this was bound to cause great consternation and angst. All I wanted to do was rest for a while, and go to sleep.  
  
It was cool and silent in my room; only the faint sound of the surf drifted toward me, and that was something I welcomed. The surf, at least, was a soothing, calming friend, one that made sleeping easier. At least it did for me.  
  
That, and the fact that I was able to crawl between clean, cool sheets; there was something about knowing the bed was freshly made that was soothing to me, as well.  
  
Every muscle was relaxing - finally, after what felt like days, I could relax - and I felt drowsy and warm.  
  
I fell asleep, and immediately started dreaming.  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
My ancestors were Chinese. I often wondered about them; my parents did not have many artifacts relating to them and were not religious in the least, so consequently I knew very little about family. It was a shame, really, I thought on more than one occasion - I would have liked to understood a little more about my own heritage. But my parents were pleasantly vague about their own relatives, my father especially so, so that when the time came for me to try to put something together about my family - I really couldn't. Not beyond my grandparent's generation, in any event.  
  
One thing I did know - my ancestors had an ancient belief in something they called spirit/mind travel. My father had laughingly said one day that there was a rumor in his family that certain members - very few, but one or two every other generation - were "dream walkers," those people who could 'walk' into someone else's dream.  
  
"Well, then, I'm a dream walker!" I remember saying to him. "I see other people when I sleep ALL the time!"  
  
"Of course you do, princess." My father had smiled at me and ruffled my hair. "Sometime, you should come visit me."  
  
"Okay, Daddy," I said, happy. "I will!"  
  
I never did, of course, because people really didn't dream walk.   
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Tonight, I had that same feeling I had when I was young and drifting off to sleep. It was - freeing. Light. A feeling as if I could go anywhere.  
  
Colors were muted around me, including the familiar, soft, off-black color of sleep. But when I turned my attention just there - somewhere ahead of me - there was a warm, soft, golden glow. Small, but shimmering - inviting - beckoning me closer.  
  
Curious, I moved closer to it. Moving, apparently, had something to do with where you wanted to be. You thought about it, and - voile! - you did it.   
  
The light was coming from what looked like a doorway. I moved closer; light spilled out from the room beyond, throwing the rest of the corridor into darkness. Had I been focused on what was actually happening, I might have noticed how much different this was than my other dreams - but I wasn't thinking about that at all.  
  
It felt perfectly natural to stand in front of the door without thinking about it, and peer into the room. It was beautiful, and somehow .. timeless. There was a large stone fireplace, and books, so many books. An old-fashioned feel, yes, but also grand - and completely comfortable. It was hard to define, but as I walked into the room, smiling, it felt as if it was normal for me to be there. I wanted to be there.   
  
The rug was lovely, old, and had the feeling of crushed velvet between my toes. Looking down, I realized that not only was I barefoot, but I was wearing my ivory silk pajamas, too. That didn't trouble me - and I was mildly surprised. I couldn't remember a time I left the house - well, any house - in my pajamas. It was a little amusing, in fact.   
  
As I looked around the room - a library, I noted with pleasure - there was something else, some other feeling that accompanied that feeling of safety and calmness. Something that told me this place was much bigger and older than I would ever be. I was welcome, but I didn't quite belong here - I was too ...  
  
...mortal.  
  
What an odd thought - too mortal? I turned back to the fireplace, and realized there was a chair in front of it - and it was not unoccupied. There was a man in that oversized and ancient chair before the fireplace, facing it.  
  
I blinked and leaned forward, then walked slowly around the chair to peer at its occupant. And somehow, I wasn't surprised. It felt so womblike, and safe, and comfortable, that I didn't react at all. Far, far back in my mind, something told me I might react later, if I thought about it. But that was pushed aside rather quickly, and the voice was silent.  
  
The man was Treize. His head was down and his eyes were closed; his face had a pensive, beautiful look, and he was silent. Waiting for me to speak.  
  
"Treize ...?"   
  
"You came," he murmured, his voice soft, not moving a muscle. "I am very surprised to see you here, Sally."  
  
Oh, his voice .. his voice resonated and made my body tingle. It was hypnotic, lyrical and powerful, and came from every part of the room at once.  
  
"The doorway ... it was open ... and I saw the light, so ..."  
  
His eyes were still closed, but a tiny smile moved across his lips. "Nevertheless ... it is not a thing most people can accomplish, Sally."  
  
"It was so ... inviting," I said, feeling a little disoriented and drowsy. Happy, but a little dazed. "Where are we? What is this place?"  
  
He finally looked up at me, and I couldn't believe his eyes. They were clearer than anything I'd ever seen, like absolute jewels. But there was something odd about them, at the same time - his pupils were completely round and his eyes were ... perfect. Absolutely, positively, perfect.   
  
That was frightening on a gut, instinctive level; I couldn't understand it, but that, more than anything, told me I didn't belong where I was. And when I looked into his eyes, I realized that they didn't move ... at all. Plus, all this time I had been inspecting him, he had not blinked once. Not ... once.  
  
"You are in my mind. I have opened up more than one sleep path to you, of course; I always do that. However, you are the first to be able to take it in ... well. A long time." He gave me a small smile, his eyes still not moving. "Even Wufei has not, though he certainly could. He resists my call. Would you like to sit down?"  
  
I moved to the side just a little and looked around. "You mean ..." I was a little confused as there were no other chairs around.   
  
Treize waved his hand, gesturing at the thick, soft, Oriental rug that was in front of the fireplace. I could sit there, if I wanted.   
  
I found myself sinking to the floor, my legs folding under me with my back to the fire, looking up at him. He smiled at me, holding out one hand, inviting me to lean closer to him. Otherwise, he wasn't moving at all.  
  
Gods ... get closer to him, here? I hesitated, feeling very unsure - but then I looked at him again. He was smiling, and was doing nothing that could be construed as threatening. In fact, that 'safe' and 'warm' feeling that drew me to the room in the first place increased, and was joined by a warm, throbbing feeling that was ... comforting.  
  
"I will not hurt you," he said gently.   
  
I tilted my head, considering. "I believe you," I finally answered. I didn't really think I had much choice in the matter, but ... it felt all right. Comforting.  
  
"You may lean here, just against the chair, if you like," he said, holding his hand out. Inviting me to slide closer.  
  
Again - it felt right, so I did. I slid next to the chair and leaned against it; and at the same time, Treize gave me a warm smile, put his hand on my head and started stroking my hair, petting my head - relaxing me completely.   
  
I glanced up at him, and caught the expression on his face. His gesture was easy, familiar ... and his expression was .. fond. That was it - he was fond of me.   
  
Sighing, I looked down, relaxed against his leg and the chair and let him pet me. I always loved it when people played with my hair when I was younger, anyway ... and this simply felt like an extension of that ...   
  
"So ... we're dreaming?" I murmured, staring into the fire.  
  
"Yes," he said, smiling. "You won't remember this in the morning, except for some general sensations." He kept petting, using slow, smooth motions. It felt so .. sensual, and I felt languid .. relaxed. The warmth of the fire licked my skin, feeling like liquid. I was warm, drowsy, and happy. Willing to tell anyone anything they'd like to know.  
  
I didn't think about that last part, either. That was pushed away to be examined some other time. If I remembered.  
  
"Do you know what you're doing here, Sally?" he asked, gentle again.  
  
I turned my chin up to look at him, bemused. "Well .. no ... I suppose not. I didn't come here with any purpose in mind ... I just saw the light .. and it looked so warm, and I was curious ..."  
  
He smiled at me fondly, and kept petting my head. "I rather thought you did not. Should Wufei ever find his way here, Sally, it will be to try to kill me. Unlikely he should succeed, don't you think?"  
  
Blinking, I looked up at him again. "I ... he will try to kill you ... here?" I wasn't even sure where 'here' was, but it didn't seem likely.  
  
"Yes. He will try to kill me here. When he reaches that point, I will either die ... or have him. I rather think I will have him."  
  
Mmmm ... he was probably right. Nothing alarmed me - not about the way he was speaking or what he said. He wasn't speaking in a dangerous way, and everything seemed so ordinary and natural now ...  
  
He kept petting me, his voice soothing and warm. "The last person who found her way here was also a saint, Sally, and she fell as easily as you - although coming here in and of itself is no mean feat. I have wondered, sometimes, if the purity has to do with getting them here - and that same purity is what leaves them unprepared for me." He leaned toward me, gently smiling. "What do you think, Sally?"  
  
There was an odd, discordant feeling in my chest. I looked up at him and frowned a little. "I - I don't really understand ..."  
  
Treize smiled at me as if I had just said something very cute. "That's all right, Sally. You don't really need to."  
  
"No .. that's not right," I said, turning my head away. This really did bother me. "I do need to understand -"  
  
He continued petting and gave me a real smile. "You will. Fear not," he murmured, amused, his voice smooth and soothing as honey. "Understanding will come completely to you in time. You see ... I've decided not to let you go. So you will understand all before the end. As my gift to you."  
  
"A gift of ... understanding?" I asked, frowning.  
  
Treize nodded slowly, caressing my scalp. "A gift of knowledge, and a help toward understanding; since you, Sally, must do the understanding yourself .. ne?"  
  
He traced the outside of my ears with his fingertips - and ooo, that felt good. I slowly relaxed against the chair, looking around. "This place feels ... old," I ventured.  
  
"Yes. It is very old." And somehow, I could tell he was pleased with me. That throbbing feeling had come back, and now I was warm and drowsy. The heat from the fire was all around the satin pajamas - it just felt so good, that it was hard to concentrate on anything other than that. In fact, what I really wanted to do was sit at his feet and stare into the fire while he pet me. Nothing else had quite that appeal.  
  
"Did you have anything you wanted to ask me, Sally?" He smiled, a conspiratol, friendly look. "Since you won't remember any of this for a while, at least. The human mind is such a fragile thing ... it just blocks out that which is too much for it." His fingers traced my cheek, traveled back to my head and lingered at the nape of my neck.  
  
I tried to rouse myself to ask at least one semi-intelligent question. "What did you mean - that the other person to find this place was a saint, and that she fell?"  
  
"Saa, Sally ... I meant nothing ill. She was similar to you - just as strong, and as intelligent. Very similar, in fact; a quiet leader, but a leader nonetheless. And perhaps - 'relax' would be a better word than 'fell,' hmm? Or .. 'succumbed.'" He sounded amused. "But I think 'relaxed' works better."  
  
"You mean ... succumbed to you?"  
  
He kept petting. "In a way - succumbed to me," he responded gently. "But then, I have not done anything to you, have I?"  
  
I frowned. "No .. not now ..."  
  
"Correct. Not now. And it is now that you have succumbed to me. You are very safe here, Sally, very safe indeed."  
  
Treize was running his fingers through my hair. I was trying to think, but my mind was fuzzy and it was unusually difficult to think for prolonged periods of time. "But ... but you did something ... yesterday .."  
  
"I did many things yesterday," Treize murmured gently. "But this is today. Do not focus overmuch on the past. After all ... you cannot change it. You can only affect the future - that is the principle under which I live."  
  
... you're much more amusing than you know ... latent talents ...  
  
Gods, now everything was feeling fuzzy and not quite right. "I thought - I thought whatever we did affects the future -"  
  
"Yes, that is true. But the past is no longer in our hands to make. Humans focus too much on the past, and not enough on the future. It is a weakness."  
  
I blinked. "I - understand what you mean - but we're supposed to learn from our past. From our mistakes, really. We can't discount it entirely - that would be foolish."  
  
"Certainly, Sally," he agreed, petting my head. "How very wise of you. However, most simply focus on the past not to learn, but to rehash. It does not help them - but somehow, it fulfills their self-imposed guilt quotient. The problem of conscience is one that has fascinated me for a long time, Sally." He traced my jaw with one finger, then did the same with my nose, looking playful. "Soft skin," he said, his voice a murmured surprise. "One would have thought your lifestyle had removed that. How pleasant."  
  
I nodded and blinked. Part of me was amazed that I allowed him to touch me at all, but the majority of my mind saw no inherent danger - and, in fact, it felt so pleasant I really didn't want him to stop. "It - it's always been that way," I said, closing my eyes and leaning against the chair.  
  
"Of course it has, lovely little saint that you are." He paused for a few moments, continuing to pet my head while I looked into the fire.   
  
"Tell me, Sally," he said, warmth surrounding me, "what do you want?"  
  
I blinked, opened my eyes and looked up at him. I felt as though I had to say something - I could not keep silent. "I ... I want many things."  
  
"Yes?" he encouraged.  
  
"I ... I want ..." Suddenly shy, I turned from looking at him to looking at the fire again.   
  
Long, unhurried strokes against my head and neck relaxed the muscles in my shoulders, helping me to think. It would be easy, so easy to tell him now; but part of me wanted to hold back, not give him what he wanted. I needed to keep something for myself.  
  
"...If I tell you," I found myself saying, "then you'll know everything."  
  
"Your secret will never leave this room," he said, very gentle. "And I will not know 'everything.' I will never know that."  
  
I nodded, my eyelids drooping. "One thing I want is to be free." That was a relatively safe thing to say - and for anyone who knew me, was also fairly obvious.  
  
"Very well put, Sally. You're very smart, do you know that? A pleasure to talk to, even when you're being stubborn. So quiet, you are .. you hide quite a lot. Or you try."  
  
I looked up at him, feeling a little apprehensive, trying to read his expression. The firelight cast golden shadows across his face, and he was smiling at me. That fond expression was in his eyes again - there was nothing threatening or conniving about him at all.  
  
Maybe I'm being paranoid for nothing. I gave him a little smile in return, and said slowly, "I .. I want Wufei to be free ..."  
  
"Ah, that's lovely," he replied, still petting me and watching with that same expression. "A wonderful goal. Admirable. Anything else, Sally?"  
  
Now I was blinking, feeling completely confused. He wasn't reacting the way I thought he was going to react. In fact, it really WAS easy to talk with him, and tell him exactly what I was thinking. "I - I want justice for everyone. Not just for the fortunate few, but everyone."  
  
"Shhh ... all is safe here." He soothed me and kept petting, now concentrating on the back of my neck and my shoulders. "And how is that possible, Sally?"  
  
"I - I was trying before - trying to fight for justice. So that people could be free to make their own decisions, without interference from others with their own agendas."  
  
"Yes," he said, nodding slowly.  
  
"I want peace ... but not 'peace in slavery.' Peace between people that comes from treating each other as equals."  
  
"Ah, but Sally - who would rule?"  
  
"There would be a democracy," I said, tilting my head to look up at him. "Power would be shared."  
  
"A lovely idea, Sally, but someone still has to make the decisions."  
  
"That's true," I frowned, "but representatives would be elected from the people to do that - there's no need an enormous amount of power in one person's hand."  
  
"Still, there must be someone who puts that together and makes the decisions. If you merely rely on groups, then ninety percent of your time is spent arguing - things do not get accomplished. Perhaps, Sally," Treize said thoughtfully, "the key is to find someone whom the people, in their rights and justice, choose to make those decisions. A tie breaker, if you will."  
  
I frowned. "That position, by its very nature, would be so intrinsically interwoven with the other groups that the power it wielded over them would be ... enormous. How could you trust someone to hold it?"  
  
"And the world ruled by a committee would carry the danger of getting nothing done."  
  
Stubborn, I looked at him. "Once you've given your rights over to someone else, it is difficult, if not impossible, to get them back."  
  
"But Sally ... groups are just as dangerous, and hold more power. Or have you forgotten the dangers of Romefeller?"  
  
That stopped me. "I - I had not thought of Romefeller - but yes, that is true."  
  
"And it was Romefeller that really insisted on war, ne? Romefeller, that, for example, gave the order to decimate A0206."  
  
I turned to look at the fire, feeling suddenly disturbed. "Yes - Romefeller did give the order. Septem -"  
  
" -is dead," he finished, petting.   
  
I took a deep breath, seeing myself as I was when I was given the order to 'cleanse' Wufei's colony.   
  
"A good thing, yes?"  
  
Anger and horror moved through me as I remembered that day and the decisions I had to make. "...yes..."  
  
"Shh.." he soothed again. "No need to grow upset here. What's done is done. We are changing nothing."  
  
I leaned back against the chair again, searching for that calm, relaxed feeling I had before I started thinking about Septem. A good thing that horrid man was dead? Of course it was ...  
  
Treize tangled his fingers in my hair as he massaged my head again. "Did Romefeller judge him evil?"  
  
"No," I said, shaking my head a little. "Of course not. He was one of their generals, one of their own."  
  
"Yes," Treize said. "So how did he die?"  
  
I blinked. "It's ... he ... " I looked over at him and started to breathe faster. This was really upsetting. "It is believed he boarded a flight after the disaster at New Edwards base. The shuttle flight landed, but ... he was not on board. His body - was never found."  
  
Calmly, Treize continued petting and rubbing my head, extending that caress to the base of my neck.  
  
"So .. it's assumed he died somewhere in flight ..."  
  
"He was given justice," Treize said softly.  
  
Rhythmic, regular stroking on my head and neck was incredibly calming. My eyes were nearly closing of their own accord, I felt so relaxed. "..yes - but - but .. something isn't right ..." I frowned, trying to remember.  
  
"Mmmm ... and what isn't right, Sally?"  
  
I had to push myself through the fuzziness that encircled my brain. "Justice .. in that respect .. cannot simply be carried out by one person - almost as if it's at their whim.."  
  
"Really?" Treize's voice took on a calm, soothing quality. "Then what were you doing?"  
  
A beat passed as the implications of that simple question sank into my psyche, and my world imploded. I walked into that trap so willingly ... put my head right into the noose myself. I felt my breathing get shallower and my mouth grow dry as I stared back at him in complete shock and dismay. "I .. I ...what ..."  
  
"Then what were you doing, Sally?" he repeated gently, still petting my head with soft strokes. "Shhh, now ... don't defend. I am not attacking you. I am trying to ascertain why you are somehow essentially different in your behavior from that which caused Septem's death."  
  
I forced myself to be calm; "I .. Septem ordered the elimination of all life on A0206. I suggested that the people who were there could be relocated somewhere else - but he said no. He intended to kill them."  
  
Very gently, Treize looked at me and said, "Even though the group of men elected had decided that it should be destroyed - you, the individual, disagreed. Very good, Sally. Go on."  
  
I was sweating by this point, and I couldn't look away from his gaze. "I .. did," I continued, my voice weak. "I disagreed. Those people were innocent -"  
  
"Mmm, not according to their elected rulers. But this is in the past, Sally. It does no good to simply rehash. Go on. Tell me more."  
  
Gods, I couldn't believe it. I had always considered myself on the side of justice and right, and here ... here I was, seeing myself as no more than a common criminal, an anarchist disrupting a legitimate government. I continued with my story, but with considerably less heat and righteousness than before. "I - I decided to pull my men out of there. And I did - and reported that the colony had been cleansed. After that ... I gave up my field position, and came back to Earth."  
  
The silence between us was heavy. "And how, Sally," Treize continued, his voice a gentle caress, "how does this make you different from that which ended Septem's misbegotten life?"  
  
I was shaking by this time. "I .. I would not - and did not - order that civilians - innocent people - be slaughtered. I fought, certainly, but I fought those who were either ordered to fight or volunteered. We fought military units and targets, not civilians."  
  
He kept petting my head, which did help me keep my emotions under control a little. "But that means that you, as a single individual, not chosen by anyone but yourself, made the decision as to what justice was, and acted on it."  
  
"I - I had to," I whispered, completely at a loss. "I could not kill innocent people. I ... I have a conscience, too."  
  
"Yes, you do," Treize said, soft and relentless. "But your conscience is not the same as everyone else's .. is it?"  
  
".... no...."  
  
"Then why did you have the right to impose your justice on other people, when they had not asked for it?"  
  
Now I was clenching my hands in my lap, sitting straight up and staring into the fire, very rigid. "I ... I thought it was the right thing to do. It felt like the right thing to do. I saw no other alternative. I could not kill innocent people. I didn't impose 'justice' on the people of A0206. I simply refused to kill them."  
  
"You have imposed justice on the world by attempting to destroy those whom the people themselves put into power. And I am preserving the life of one of the last members of the Dragon Clan. In a way ... that makes you and I equals, does it not?"  
  
I turned completely around and stared up at him. I could feel my eyes growing wider by the second. "...I .. I would never have thought to look at things that way..."  
  
He stroked the side of my face, running his thumb from my temple to my jaw. "I know, Sally. It's all right," he said, smiling at me. "You're very smart, anyway." He ran his fingers across my cheekbone as I sat quietly, looking up at him.   
  
Rather like he's inspecting a new toy, my inner voice whispered.   
  
"We have both acted on what we believe to be necessary, in the face of all others; in the face of those who the people put into power; and we have both saved what is left of the dragon clan." His eyes sparkled. "Why, Sally ... you're just like me."  
  
A real stab of horror shot into my body. Is that possible...?  
  
His smile was warm and knowing. "Hush, now - is that so bad? It could also mean that I'm just like you. Saaa, I've been misunderstood before ... but so have you." Treize used the back of his hand to stroke the side of my face. "So quiet ... so unassuming ... and yet, so intelligent and determined. You've been misunderstood and rejected all you life, haven't you?"  
  
I felt my heartrate quicken, and tried to consciously suppress it. "I .. I have always needed to be strong ... I have always provided for myself ..."  
  
He looked at me with a soft smile, making a soothing, circular motion on my head and neck. The sensations, though, weren't as calming as they had been - thinking about Septem upset me more than I realized, and I started to feel a cold, ugly feeling gnawing in my stomach.  
  
As if in response, Treize leaned forward a little and stroked the back of my neck, pulling down my spine with long, even strokes that felt slightly tickly and intimate and terribly, terribly good ...  
  
My eyelids did droop as the sensations continued to calm me. Why think about what I had to be? It's in the past ... and there's nothing that will change the past ...  
  
Very well done, Sally. That is the secret to success.  
  
I happened to look up at him in that instant; the expression in his eyes seemed almost ... predatory.  
  
Immediately, I felt a warm throbbing surround me, something that seemed to come and go in waves.  
  
"Are you happy, Sally?" His voice was low and resonant, teasing me with its depth. "I want you to be happy."  
  
"I feel ... warm. Happy .. right now," I murmured, feeling very drowsy.  
  
"Good - because it will be time for you to wake up in another moment. Do you have anything else you want to say, Sally?"  
  
It crossed my mind that I liked being there, even though I had felt so unsettled and anxious about telling him ... something. And I wanted to come back.  
  
"Ah .. Treize .. will I be able to come back here?"  
  
It was still hard for me to keep my eyes open, but I tried to look at him through eyelids that were rapidly closing. He looked very amused, but only permitted himself a tiny smile.  
  
"If you want to," he said softly, as if he wasn't sure. "So .. do you want to, Sally? You are happy?"  
  
Long, even strokes from the crown of my head to the base of my neck made me lean back and close my eyes in pleasure.   
  
"I feel ... good. Happy. And ... I'd like to come back .. if I may."  
  
"Very well, then. I will allow you back." I opened my eyes a slit to look at him, and that same indefinable gleam was in his eyes.  
  
"Thank you, Treize," I murmured.  
  
"You are welcome, Sally." He truly sounded sincere. "Now ... it is time to wake up."  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The room faded, and I was in that comfortable off-black color of normal sleep. But it wasn't as warm as before, I moaned to myself. Where's the warmth? the throbbing? the..  
  
..the ... what was I trying to remember? some dream, but .. feh....  
  
My entire body felt like it was tingling and throbbing - something akin to what had happened ... another time.  
  
I turned over and put my face into my pillow, unwilling to let my dream go, but knowing that I should start thinking about getting out of bed.  
  
After all - now it was Friday, and we were going to the opera. 


	20. Chapter 19

_________________________________________________________________  
  
Tapestry - Chapter 19  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
I opened my eyes to a gray, overcast sky; the sun was up, but the cloud cover hadn't burned away. My body felt incredibly good - warm, with this slight surging feeling that was just SO relaxing. Mmmm ... what time was it ... nine, maybe - ten o'clock? I wasn't sure, and it didn't really matter.  
  
It was strange; I could remember the reasons I felt angry and tight last night, but those reasons didn't seem as terribly important or solid right now. The negative emotions had drained away, leaving a pleasant, almost lethargic feeling in their wake.   
  
I closed my eyes and snuggled back into bed, pushing my face into the pillow, willing myself back to sleep. No one would miss me if I didn't get up right away - after all, it wasn't as if I had to get up at a certain time. No one was knocking on my door to go running, or go sparring, or go swimming ... although it would feel awfully good to go take a walk down by the sea in the cool morning air ...   
  
I sighed, wriggled a little and sat up, stretching and yawning. I looked around and smiled in pleasure, realizing again what a pleasant room it was - it was light, and airy, and gave me such a lovely feeling of freedom. Swinging my feet over the side of the bed, I hopped down, whistling, jumped into waiting slippers, then shuffled over to my dresser and dipped into my drawers. I pulled out blue shorts, a dark blue tee shirt, bra and underwear. I saw the bathroom off to the right and padded over. It was exactly the same as Wufei's, right down to the cotton balls in the cupboard; the only difference, I mused as I turned on the hot water for my shower, was the color of the tile. My bath had an obvious feminine touch, as did my entire room, whereas his was designed with a male in mind.   
  
As I toweled off and pulled on my clothes, my gaze idly fell on the partially open closet door that revealed that absolutely stunning blue gown and those sexy, strappy high heeled shoes Treize gave me. Oh, right - today was Friday, and we were going to the opera later tonight. I smiled; I was looking forward to it. We were going to Naples of all places, to see an opera at the San Carlo, the oldest working theater in Europe! It was silly, and a weakness, but it was something I had always wanted to do and never dreamed I'd be able to do in my lifetime.  
  
Who I was, where I was and why I was there didn't even enter my mind. I might as well have been vacationing with a favorite uncle as far as my pysche was concerned; the cold hard facts of my captivity didn't start pushing themselves through that fog that surrounded my brain until my gaze fell on the cellphone hidden by the handtowel next to the alabaster sink.  
  
Frowning a little, I picked up the phone and put it away in its usual place. Just looking at the phone and handling it made me think of Duo, and thinking of Duo today and the opera at the same time gave rise to another weird little vignette in my head. There was Duo, scowling at me, wearing a maid's uniform and standing in the women's bathroom of the San Carlo.   
  
I blinked. Whoa. Bizarre. Simply bizarre. That was the second time an image of Duo wearing a maid's uniform had popped into my head; the same image had come to me yesterday, as well. Gads, I needed to get out and get some exercise, and soon, or else I was sure my mind was going to snap.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
Softly closing the door to my room, I stood in the corridor and glanced around. It wasn't that early, especially not for a military base - but surprisingly enough, there weren't very many people roaming the corridors.   
  
Oh, wait. That's not true. Une was walking down the corridor, right toward me. In fact, she walked right up and stood directly in front of me, her usual severe expression pinched and tight.  
  
"Yes, Lady Une?" I asked, curious, suspecting absolutely nothing.  
  
For an answer, Une drew her arm back as far as she could and slapped me across the face. She hit me so hard that I fell back against the door, my knees collapsing in surprise, the back of my head smacking painfully hard against the solid wooden frame several times in a row.  
  
"Why?" I gasped when I could catch my breath, tears standing in my eyes, glaring at her. "Why did you do that? I did nothing to you!"  
  
"Disrespect to Treize-sama!" Her nostrils flared slightly, and I caught the scent of her perfume as she leaned toward me. She started to say something else, then apparently changed her mind, closed her mouth, spun around and marched back into her room, slamming the door so hard that the walls trembled.  
  
My cheek burned. I was left staring after her with my hand up to my face and my mouth partially open. That woman's a dangerous psychotic, I thought angrily. She should be locked up somewhere, not just wandering around free.   
  
And disrespect to Treize? What on earth was she talking about?  
  
I shook my head, trying to clear it as I pushed away from the wall and continued walking down the hallway. Une had come from this direction; therefore, other people must be down here. Also, I heard familiar noises coming from this direction; a rhythmic thumping followed by a soft shushing sound. There was something about the pattern of the noises ... something about their predictability... I followed the sounds, my curiosity getting the better of me, and I trotted down the hallway just a little bit faster.  
  
_______________________________________________________________  
  
Oh, of course. That's where the noise was coming from - I should have known. Cold apprehension tightened in my chest as I approached the training room.  
  
Grunts and guttural shouts floated into the hallway. I stopped at the entrance and leaned the doorway with one elbow, watching the match in progress. Something important had happened - I knew it, and I had missed it. Wufei looked extremely upset and disconcerted, or confused, or ... something. I wasn't quite sure what, though. It was definitely something other than just simple upset, however, because he wasn't fighting with as much focus and intensity as usual, and certainly not with the ferocity he showed yesterday.   
  
Treize, on the other hand, more than made up for Wufei's lack of gusto. That man was so completely unmoved and in control, his eyes so calm and commanding, that it was frightening. I had to physically turn my head and drag my gaze back to Wufei, to make sure he was all right after their last clash. He seemed uninjured, which was good; he just staggered a little.   
  
That's the way things stayed for a while; they parried, they circled each other, they looked for opportunities to attack -   
  
And then it happened.   
  
In a rush, Treize exploded against Wufei. His muscles bunched and snapped, rippling down his back while he threw his weight against the boy and rocked into him, shoving his forearm across Wufei's throat and smacking the boy's head against the wall. Treize let him dangle in his grip for an endless moment, helpless, as he brought his mouth centimeters away from Wufei's upper lip.  
  
"Again," Treize commanded, his voice low, staring directly into Wufei's eyes. He dropped his arm and stepped back, his eyes glittering dangerously, his guard up. Wufei snarled and leaped at him, wasting no time in pressing another attack.   
  
Another attack?   
  
What was this? Treize ... was teaching Wufei to attack? And when he did not get it right ... Treize pinned him, and forced him to do it again? What kind of 'duel to the death' was this? It made no sense at all.   
  
I absently rubbed my abused head in sympathy for Wufei and kept watching, squinting a little, not understanding what I was seeing - because in my opinion, this was simply too weird for words. The tension in the room was soaring. They were fighting hand to hand, and had opted not to use any weapons at all. What on earth was Treize doing?  
  
Apparently, it didn't make any sense to Wufei, either - and he was quickly losing what little self-control he had. He was shirtless, in loose, baggy trousers, good for mobility. His quickness and agility were serving him well - I could see that Treize was pressing him to respond faster and faster - but now he was only responding. He wasn't planning his own attacks, nor was he counterattacking.   
  
However, Treize was planning. The general was similarly dressed - shirtless, and in baggy, shapeless trousers - and was making Wufei work harder and harder, pushing him into a frenzy, forcing him to block and defend, faster and faster, until finally their limbs were a blur and then again, Wufei was pinned under Treize at the far end of the room.   
  
But when Treize pinned Wufei this time, something tangible passed between them - something that even I could feel, standing meters away on the other side of the room. Treize pressed against Wufei exactly as as he did the last time, with his arm across Wufei's throat and his lips barely brushing Wufei's cheek. This time, though, Treize's expression changed as he leaned down and looked into Wufei's eyes. From my angle their faces were frozen in stark relief, sculptures capturing an instant in time, staring at each other. And when that finally changed, the entire atmosphere of the room shifted.   
  
A wave of the most raw, concentrated and heated sexual power I had ever experienced in my entire life hit me full force without warning; it saturated practically every pore and fiber in my body, swept through my mind like a firestorm and left me totally vulnerable. My nerveless fingers frantically scrabbled for a hold, any hold on the doorway. I didn't care, I just needed something to hold because now my knees were buckling and I was sagging against the doorframe and slipping down, down toward the floor unless I could hold onto something on the frame itself ....  
  
At the same time, Treize's expression become predatory, sensually possessive; his lips parted his eyes gleamed with unconcealed desire as that wave of power and lust throbbed across the room. Fortunately my hold on the doorway was strong; if it wasn't, I would have been on my knees for sure. As it was I was hardly standing upright; whatever he did resonated along my nerves, causing me to almost cry out, an involuntary response - but I didn't. I retained enough of myself to keep watching, keep looking - and was shocked at what I saw. This, apparently, was the reaction the general had waited to see.  
  
Wufei, for the barest fraction of seconds, DID react. His brain had already shut down voluntary responses to stimuli long ago in order to keep up with the demanding pace of the fight, abandoning higher order thinking in favor of pure instinct. When he looked at the general, his expression was something so completely exotic and striking that it took me a few moments to realize what it was. Desire - unmitigated, pure, wild - burned in his eyes and changed his features. He looked alien, feral ... beautiful.  
  
A shudder ran across Wufei's shoulders and down his back. Treize narrowed his eyes, gave a very small, satisfied smile and abruptly withdrew his arm.   
  
The boy dropped heavily to the ground. To his credit, Wufei caught himself, stumbled, and ended up bent over a little, arms out, slightly off balance, looking dizzy. " ... wha ..."   
  
"That's enough for today, Wufei. We have the opera later, after all, and I would like to leave within the hour."   
  
"Un." Wufei held his head in one hand for a moment, still stunned and dizzy.   
  
I shook myself and staggered away from the doorway a few steps, blinking furiously. No. I could hardly bring myself to acknowledge what had just happened to Wufei, let alone believe my mind had just been blasted with ... well ... with something I wasn't even ready to name. Panting, I made my way unsteadily across the training room floor toward Wufei, my body still buzzing and twitching. I had this unreasonable, strange feeling that I needed to be with him, to make sure that he was all right.   
  
"Sally! Wonderful - I was just about to check to see if you were up. We will be leaving soon - and I was hoping that you would be ready to leave, as well." Treize looked at me expectantly, not giving the least indication of surprise or shock in seeing me in the training room. Had I been thinking, just that simple fact would have said volumes.  
  
But I wasn't thinking, at least not at the moment. In fact, I was having a terrible time just trying to link several coherent thoughts together.   
  
"Leaving?" I repeated, feeling rather stupid, not knowing what Treize was talking about. I glanced at him, my eyes growing larger by the moment; ye gods, not only was he talking to me, he was actually expecting me to respond ...  
  
~~Yes, Sally. Think ... take your time ...~~  
  
"Oh, I ... yes, I - I'm sure I can be ready."   
  
Gods. Dazed; lightheaded; my mouth is as dry as dust; and now, just to prove how out of it I really am, that voice - not my snarky inner voice, but that other snarky voice I can't ignore spoke to me. Again. In my head.   
  
Wonderful. I can't even get the first one to shut up, and now another one decides to start.   
  
"When will we be leaving?"  
  
"I would like to leave as soon as possible, really. Will forty-five minutes do? Or, perhaps, an hour?" He pulled his shirt across his shoulders and buttoned it, and was presently tucking it into his pants, chatting as if he hadn't a care in the world. His tone was light, contented, in control and cheerful, wonderfully benevolent, a father giving treats to his children.  
  
He tilted his head and regarded me, one eyebrow raised in speculation. His gaze swept me from head to foot. "You must forgive me, Sally - I didn't know what to do for you in regards to makeup. Your dress and jewelry were one thing, but cosmetics ... well ... "  
  
I felt my face get warm. "I .. ah .. don't usually need much ..."   
  
A slightly flirty, teasing expression twinkled in his eyes as he gazed at me. "Saa, I could have told you THAT."  
  
And now I felt my cheeks flush completely, that warm, tingly sensation traveling all the way across my face to the roots of my hair. I looked away from Treize and over at Wufei, my embarrassment complete. To my surprise, Wufei still seemed to be ignoring everything around him, looking as though he was still in some kind of daze. He shivered, and another small tremor passed across his shoulders and down his back.  
  
"The opera is tonight, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, it is," Treize said. "But we have much traveling to do, and dinner beforehand, so we do need to start as soon as we can."   
  
"Then ... then I'll just make sure that we take everything we need with us when we leave ..."  
  
Wufei shuddered hard, once, hunched his shoulders, then looked up at Treize with an expression of utter confusion. I blinked, looking from Wufei to Treize and back again. What on earth was going on? Didn't Treize see how Wufei was affected? Wasn't he going to do something?  
  
"Excellent!" Treize smiled at me, nodded, and walked past me to the exit, not even acknowledging Wufei. "One hour, then, Sally. That will be fine. Make sure you call down to the kitchen and ask them to send some tea and bagels to your room for both you and Wufei."  
  
_________________________________________________________________  
  
I watched Treize breeze out of the training room as if nothing at all was amiss. At this point, Wufei held both arms and was slowly rubbing them as though he was cold.  
  
I think I stared after Treize for a few moments, not really believing he had just left Wufei with me. Then I shook my head and turned back to him, peering into his face, trying to find a spark of the young man I knew was there.   
  
I touched his shoulder gently. "Wufei? Wufei ... let's go back to your room. I'll get your things ready for you. We need to be ready to leave in an hour."  
  
He started badly at my touch, shrinking together. The look he gave me was more than pathetic and less than wretched - it was miserable and confused, the look of someone who was caught in something way beyond his current understanding.  
  
"I .. I'm ... not ... I know I'm not ..."  
  
"You're not what, Wufei?"  
  
He was shivering a little now, shivering unevenly across his body. "I'm .. I'm not ... I don't THINK of men like that. I don't understand ..."  
  
The analyzing, cataloging part of my brain that never ceased to function no matter what carefully noted that Wufei's calm exterior was, in all probability, just a facade. He was probably suffering from delayed shock. In fact, I was surprised he wasn't more upset than he appeared. Odd ... because I knew he wasn't ...  
  
And suddenly I was incredibly angry at Treize, angry at him for abandoning Wufei in the middle of the training room floor when the poor boy could barely put a sentence together. Angry because - because, though no fault of his own, now the boy can't even find his own way to his room; and if I was honest with myself, angry because this older man was trying to obviously seduce this younger, innocent boy, and the boy was very obviously NOT gay and WAS NOT INTERESTED.   
  
That reaction of desire? Easy enough for my brain to handle; I couldn't stand Treize, and even I wanted him at that very moment. There was something else going on that was way over both our heads, and I wasn't going to hold Wufie responsible for it.  
  
Anger clouded my vision, to the point where I couldn't see several feet in front of myself. In fact, the only thing I could see was this fine, red haze that settled over everything like a fine powder.   
  
"Wufei? Wufei, listen to me, just for a few moments. I'm going to take you back to your room, all right? Listen, Wufei, I don't really understand what's going on here, either, but that doesn't make any difference right now. At this point, we both have to get changed - are you listening, Wufei? We need to take a shower, and we need to change into our clothes for the opera, and we need to eat a little something before we leave. We have about an hour to do all of this."  
  
Wufei started shuffling across the floor toward the doors, . "He ... said ... we're having dinner." His voice was clear, but dazed, as if he was drugged.  
  
I could feel my hands trembling, I was so angry. The boy had all the classic symptoms of shock, and that boorish clod left him there, right in the middle of the training room floor? What on earth was he thinking?  
  
"Yes, but ... we won't be eating dinner for at least seven hours, Wufei. We have to eat something now."  
  
"There's food on the ship."  
  
I wanted to scream. Really, there was no escaping his logic. "Probably, but I'd feel better if we could order something from the kitchens HERE before we left. Besides, you need to take a shower and change. I don't think the clothes you need to change into are on the ship, are they?" I tried to give him my most encouraging smile.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Well, then ... we should definitely choose something for you to wear, get changed here, and have a little tea while you change."  
  
"Treize already picked it."  
  
I blinked slowly. "Of course he did," I nodded, narrowing my eyes and adding that little fact to my list of Treize-facts. "Let's get to your room, Wufei."  
  
Treize already chose what Wufei was wearing today. Of course he did; and it was choice bits of information like that, or his stranding Wufei in the middle of the training room floor after doing God-knew-what to him, that really set me off. I tightened my arm around his and continued to walk with him, letting my mind wander, that angry red cloud still surrounding me. It wasn't healthy, though, and I knew I should try to calm down ... breathe through ... calm down ...   
  
And ... well, it seemed to be working. My cloud didn't appear to be a cloud anymore... it was more of a ... haze. In fact ... it looked and felt familiar. Now it had a warm, soft, golden glow about it, almost bronze in color. Warmth radiated from it; it felt familiar and safe, as if it was something that had belonged to me all my life.   
  
But ... did that make any sense....? I ran my hand through my hair, pushing it away from my face. I didn't remember any kind of haze inside the training room, or the hallway, or anywhere in the mansion at all ...   
  
...and then realized that Wufei was no longer walking next to me, either on my right or my left side. I blinked very slowly and looked around. The room came into soft focus.  
  
Treize was standing on my left, looking into a mirror, adjusting the bow tie of his tuxedo. Somehow, I was now standing in Treize's room - at least, that's where I thought I was. He was wearing a tuxedo with a cummerbund, a tuxedo shirt he had just finished buttoning, and a bow tie.   
  
...what?...  
  
"Treize?" I felt incredulous, surprised, angry - and wary.  
  
"Yes, Sally - can I help you?" He glanced at himself one last time in the mirror and straightened his tie, then turned to me, smiling.  
  
His mirror, my mind supplied helpfully.  
  
Yeah. Thanks so very much. Now I knew exactly where I was.  
  
"I - I have a question." Personally, I didn't care where I was, as long as I was able to have my question answered. "Must you do that to Wufei every time you fight with him?"  
  
"Hm? Do what, Sally?"  
  
I was fighting with myself to keep my voice low and even, matching his in tone. Damn if I'd show any kind of nervousness, even if I had no clue where I was, or why, or when, or ... well. I was going to fight for Wufei, no matter what. It just wasn't right - it just wasn't. "Do you know that he can hardly find his way across the room, let alone find his way to his OWN room, after you've finished with him?"  
  
"Really?" Treize's easy smile had not changed at all. "Isn't that strange..."  
  
Now I was piqued. "Yes. I find that very strange. Especially when it is obvious that someone needs to actually assist him to do things such as find his own way out of the training room after you've ... well ... after you're done with him." My voice gained strength and I stared at him, not quite belligerent, but certainly not backing down, either. "So - I am asking you again - is it necessary for you to leave him in that state every time you fight him?"  
  
Treize looked at me, smiling gently. "Yes."  
  
I stared back at him, completely astonished, not believing what I just heard. "...what?"  
  
He reached down and pulled a pressed jacked from a chair that just ... appeared ... next to him, shrugged into it, then turned back to the mirror and ran his fingers through his hair one more time, now apparently satisfied with the effect.  
  
I, on the other hand, was on the verge of exploding. "But ... but WHY?" I couldn't help it - I was sputtering, staring at him.  
  
"Because he is pure." Treize smiled and walked over to me, tilting his head to the side and putting his hand on my cheek and sliding it to the back of my neck, then down to my shoulder, transferring tingling warmth to the rest of my body through my arms. "But not in the way you are pure. Saa ... such a LIMITED language. Perhaps I should say 'true' instead of 'pure' for him, ne?"  
  
"I ....I... " I tried again, blinking up at him. Warmth was surging around me, throbbing, making me feel comfortable and safe. Gods. Somewhere - at some other time - I felt this before. My mind groped to make the connection, trying to pull bits and pieces together. "I - I'm not sure I'm following."  
  
"Very well," Treize said. "You are pure in the more traditional sense - like a saint. He is pure - but only in that whatever he IS, he is to the fullest degree. This period of his life - where he came to fight for a cause in which he did not believe - is the only time he has been untrue to himself. Whatever he is, Sally, he is purely that - completely and wholeheartedly, with all his mind, body, soul and strength. And once he decides that I am no longer his enemy, he will behave that way. Completely.   
  
"Now," he said, not permitting me to drop my gaze. "Do I really need to continue?"  
  
"... nooooo ..." Confused, I realized that any anger I had against him had been effectively deflated. Not only that - my defiance against him had been siphoned away, too. I was left just looking into his face, drained.  
  
Treize smiled and looked very amused at something or another. "A marvelous accomplishment, don't you think ... to be able to override a man's natural tendencies?" He smiled gently at me, reached over and caressed my cheek. "That is what I am doing," he said, his tone casual and kind. "Not, of course, that you will remember any of this the moment I decide you should wake up. So wonderful, the human brain ... it simply relates things and categorizes them appropriately, and discards that for which it has no framework."  
  
"But ... Wufei ..." I started, not looking at him. I knew there was something I needed to tell him, something that was dreadfully important about Wufei. ... there was something ...   
  
"Sally?" Treize asked gently. "Are you all right?"  
  
I looked up at him, anguished. He looked quite dashing and elegant in his tuxedo - but there was something about his dress that jarred my memory, and I finally recalled what it was that I needed to tell him. "Wufei - Wufei is in a terrible state after he fights with you," I said earnestly, feeling slightly sick to my stomach. "He ... ah ... he needs help finding his way back to his room each and every time -"  
  
"Sally," Treize said, his voice gentle again, "You have not been here for long. He is capable of finding his way back to his room on his own. He has done it before. He will adjust, Sally - don't trouble yourself over it too strongly. If he did not adjust, then he would not be nearly as strong as I'd assumed him to be. He is much stronger than that."  
  
His eyes were blue, a clearer blue than any I had ever seen before. They looked so compassionate, so true ... and I felt as if he understood all my concerns and fears about Wufei. "All ... all right, Treize. I - I'm sorry - I'm sorry I troubled you - "  
  
Waving his hand negligently, Treize smiled as if I had just said something amusing. "Sally, please. You are NO trouble at all. You are never any trouble - please don't apologize for that! It's a perfectly valid concern. I don't believe, though, that Wufei is ill - he's simply tired, that's all. He stresses himself out SO much, the poor thing."  
  
"He - he does work very hard ..."  
  
"He does." Treize gave me a long, narrow look, considering something rather carefully. "It is wonderful to see such caring. Wufei needs it. He feels horribly alone - more so than he actually is." Treize cupped the side of my face again, slowly caressing my cheek with his thumb. I felt him slide long fingers around the base of my neck, and a throbbing, tingling warmth spread between his fingers to my scalp and then to my head and face.  
  
"Someday, he'll understand he doesn't have to kill me. We are on the same side, though he does not know it. He fulfilled his purpose ... Romefeller is gone ..."  
  
At the same time Treize was speaking, that other voice - the one I couldn't ignore, but the one that wasn't mine - was speaking inside my head. This was becoming a more frequent occurrence, and a bit more disturbing:   
  
~~...pure. Purely whatever he is - so once he is finally mine, he stays that way ... doesn't he ...~~  
  
That throbbing, warm, safe feeling increased to the point where I wanted nothing more than to close my eyes and ... well ... fall into it, fall asleep, standing up, if I could. I blinked several times, willing myself to stay awake - and found myself looking right into Treize's smiling eyes.  
  
"Saa, Sally. It is wonderful to see such caring. You and I are on the same level on this one, you know. It would be wise if some day we could work together. For Wufei."  
  
"I ... I ... suppose so ... yes ..." Gads, I felt so horribly confused at times, and this was one of them. I peered up at him, extremely uncertain and so tired ... just so tired ...  
  
He smiled, gently pulled my head forward and gave me a very quick, very proper kiss on the cheek, enveloping me with that soft, subtle scent of roses.  
  
"Time for you to wake up, Sally Po," he murmured, smiling. "Off you go, now. You need to get ready."  
  
"All right, Treize, " I said automatically. "I will." And I walked out of the room in a daze, off to do what he wanted me to do.  
  
__________________________________________________  
  
I blinked.  
  
I was in my bedroom.   
  
Not only was I in my bedroom ... I was looking in a full length mirror, looking at a woman that I didn't recognize.   
  
That woman with the blue diamond gaze, I realized with a start, was me.  
  
And I was dressed for dinner. In that lovely, beautiful, figure enhancing blue gown Treize gave me, with the spaghetti straps and the flashing, swirling, material that was just so flattering.  
  
The mirror didn't lie - at least, not that I noticed. Try as I might, I could not find fault with this dress. It was fabulous, and it made ME look fabulous. I could not remember when, if ever, I had something that actually showed the curve of my hip or the slimness of my waist without being totally revealing. And the color - a powder blue that hinted at the depth of royal blue behind it. That color was simply ... perfect. It complemented my skin, and my hair, and I found this almost impossible to believe, but matched the color of my eyes.  
  
And ... I was wearing jewelry, too. Lovely teardrop diamond earrings, with a matching choker necklace and a wide diamond bracelet ... and my hair was swept up in an elegant coif, held with diamond pins.  
  
Hesitantly, I pushed one foot out in front of me. Yes, there they were - those lovely, sexy, strappy shoes that Treize bought me so long ago, back in Luxembourg. I was wearing them.  
  
So long ago? Good Lord ... did I mean Tuesday? as in three days ago?  
  
Gads. I stared at my foot, thinking about that. Three days ago. It seemed a world and a lifetime ago.   
  
Well, I certainly couldn't just stand around in my room, staring at myself in the mirror, now, could I? People would be expecting me to join them, because we needed to get moving, and ...  
  
I looked down at myself; at the jeweled bag hanging from my shoulder, the bracelet encircling my right wrist, the beautiful fabric covering my legs and the lovely shoes on my feet - and had a moment of sheer, absolute panic.  
  
Shoving one delicately manicured hand against my mouth, I stifled a scream as I stared at myself in the mirror - because I could not remember getting dressed at ALL. I couldn't remember putting ON my dress, or that bracelet, or the shoes, or the bag - or even taking the dress out of the closet to get ready to get dressed. The last thing I did remember clearly was walking in the corridor with Wufei, holding onto his arm ... and then ... something about a conversation with Treize, somewhere, I thought ... but even that wasn't clear ... and then nothing ... and then I blinked, and I was looking at myself in the mirror.  
  
Discreet knocking interrupted my panic. "Ms. Po? Ms. Po, they're waiting for you."  
  
Gods. Of course they are. I took a deep breath, turned from the mirror and walked out of the room. Later. I'll think about that later. When I'm calm.  
  
Probably several years from now. 


	21. Chapter 20

Tapestry - Chapter 20  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The staircase was one of the longest I had ever seen, spiraling down and around the inside of the entire second floor of the mansion. I had a firm grip on the banister with one hand and my dress slightly bunched in the other, raised high enough to ensure my toes didn't snare themselves in my hem as I descended.   
  
Wufei was waiting for me at the bottom, his hair pulled back in his normal ponytail, dark eyes narrowed and focused, looking absolutely sharp. I wasn't quite sure if he was wearing a tuxedo or a suit, but whatever it was, it was form fitting and made him look deadly and beautiful at the same time.  
  
I reached the last step and glided off the staircase, took a deep, relieved breath, and strode directly toward him, wobbling a little. This was the first time in a long time that I had worn high heels, and as silly as it sounds, walking in those shoes was a skill I had never quite mastered. When I did wear them, it usually felt as if I was lumbering through a swamp clogged with duck grass and Georgia mud, graceless and clumsy.  
  
I touched his arm and smiled. "You look fabulous, Wufei."  
  
He turned and glanced at me, obviously irritated, and didn't say anything - which made me wonder if he even knew how to respond in the first place. Probably not, I realized, surprised. Sometimes, it was hard to know what to say when someone gives you a compliment.  
  
"Say 'thank you,' Wufei," Treize prompted, his cultured voice coming from directly behind me.  
  
I started and turned around to look at Treize as Wufei said "Thank you," his tone automatic, obeying the general's gentle command. Even wearing those high-heeled strappy sandals I found myself bending my head back to look at Treize. He was still significantly taller than I was.   
  
He looked down at me and smiled, tilting his head to one side. "Why, Sally Po," he said, his voice soft, his gaze traveling up and down my body slowly for a long moment. "You look .... incredible. Had I known you were going to clean up this well, I would have insisted on it before."  
  
I nearly lost what composure I had. Apparently, I didn't know how to respond when someone paid me a compliment, either.   
  
"... Ah ... why ... thank .. you ... Treize ... "  
  
Treize took my hand and bent over it, glancing up at my face while still bent over my fingers, giving my hand one tiny, chaste, kiss. He watched my eyes carefully, his own filled with fire.  
  
Words could not describe how I felt as I looked at him. I knew my hand trembled; I fought with myself to keep it there, and not to snatch it back. Really, why should I? He was acting appropriately, completely within the bounds of propriety. He simply looked totally indescribable - and it was that indescribable power of his that drew me to him.  
  
A small, functioning part of my brain wasn't quite sure whether I should lean forward and kiss him or run away screaming. I wasn't even sure what it was that I really wanted to do. An even smaller part of my brain suggested I drag Wufei with me while I ran away screaming. That part, though, was pessimistic when it came to estimating my chances of ultimate escape; in fact, it calculated our odds at a depressing million to one, and even thought those were optimistic.  
  
Gads.  
  
"Are we ready?" Treize smiled, now completely normal, looking at Wufei and me, waiting.  
  
I blinked and shook my head. Wait. Did I just imagine it, or ... had Treize really been like that? There was something nagging at the back of my brain ... something that refused to come forward, no matter how hard I tried to remember it. Something that happened the previous night - or this morning? - or -   
  
"Eh ... yes. I ... I'm ready," I stammered, still staring at him.  
  
Treize smiled, touching my arm lightly, comforting in a way. He was wearing gloves, a marvelous tuxedo, and looked dashing and debonair.  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
Wufei looked at Treize, snorted, and walked in the opposite direction, obviously disgusted with the entire scene.   
  
He gave a slow sigh and shook his head, looking after him. "Wufei," he said, his voice heavy with regret. "I am so sorry, Sally. He's still young - the importance of manners has not made an impression on him as yet."  
  
"That's quite all right, Treize," I murmured, watching Wufei march out of the foyer. "I understand."  
  
But my emotions were completely out of kilter. Half of what I was feeling was slightly miffed that Wufei would just walk out without saying anything at all, but the other half were celebrating that he had walked out without saying a word. Because I didn't really want a close, hard look at what I was feeling, I decided to think about that tidbit of information later.   
  
Much, much later.  
  
"This way, please." Treize bowed slightly and offered me his arm.   
  
"Why - thank you."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Odd experiences seem to be the mainstay of my life. Here I was, being walked very properly through the front door of an expansive, Mediterranean villa, wearing a breathtaking dress that did things to my figure that no other piece of cloth had ever been able to do, on the arm of the wealthiest and most powerful man in the world, strolling toward his private yacht for a journey to Naples, to dinner and then to the opera. From the outside, this appeared to be every woman's fairytale dream. Me, carried away by the prince.  
  
From the inside ... well. The phrase "appearances can be deceiving" wasn't just a little something tossed off by the local media. It was a phrase that endured through the ages, through a multitude of cultures, precisely because it was true. It may have looked like a fairytale dream, but ... really. It wasn't.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Something was definitely off with my emotions, and honestly, I could not figure out what it was. Analysis was not one of my strong points under normal circumstances - and believe me, I was not up to any deep analysis right now.  
  
It was beautiful outside, just the perfect day for sailing. I smiled a little at Treize as we walked on the path from the house to the docks, nearly the same as the one from the helicopter pad to the house. When I swung my head around, though, to get a good view of his pleasure yacht, my breath caught in my throat and I tried to pull my hand away from his arm, almost stopping dead.  
  
Oh. Merciful. Heavens. That wasn't just a little yacht, a rich man's toy, something to amuse himself with as he puttered around the Mediterranean - this was a ship, a cruise ship, something built to withstand rough seas and high winds and enormous amounts of people.  
  
People. Good gods, there must have been over two hundred people on that ship. All sizes, all shapes ... and if I wasn't mistaken, it looked as though many of the leaders of Romefeller and OZ were on this vessel. And they were all staring at us. Specifically, at Wufei and me.  
  
Gods.  
  
Wufei was already on the ramp going up to the main deck of the ship. Many people were standing at the railing in their finery, watching Wufei board, compassion and sadness in their attitude, as if he was to be pitied because he was wasting his life, or something. I was staring at them in shock, not quite believing that Treize would neglect to tell me something so obviously critical; such as, 'oh, by the way, you'll be sailing with a large number of Romefeller and OZ officials and their families on this cruise to Naples.'"  
  
"Now, now - don't worry, Sally," Treize said, patting my hand, not letting me pull away. "No one will condemn you. I have forbidden it. You are safe with me. Come along."  
  
He gave me a gentle smile and led me inexorably toward the ship.  
  
"I ... I had no idea you would have so many guests today ..." My voice didn't sound panicky, exactly, but it certainly didn't have the calm, cool tones I liked. Mentally I was kicking myself - I should have realized he'd do something like this. Gads, I was such a moron not to anticipate a move like this.  
  
You should know by this time that he'd tell Wufei anything before he'd tell you, muttered my snarky inner voice. You're just lucky you saw the people before you walked up the gangplank.  
  
Shut. Up. Gods, just shut up.  
  
"Saa ... I thought I had mentioned it." Now Treize sounded apologetic, if such a thing was possible. I sincerely doubted it, though. He kept speaking to me; his words washed against my skin as I stared at the plethora of people crowding the sides of the ship. They peered back at me in an unfriendly, predatory fashion. I tried to decide how I was going to deal with them once I was on board - because I knew, as surely as I knew my own name, that I would be thrown to the sharks the moment we were on board. If he could do something like not tell me how many people we would be sailing with, his next logical step would be to toss me in with them, alone, and watch what happened.  
  
"... they will not be with us the entire evening, or on the way back. Forgive me, Sally. I thought you knew."  
  
I looked right at the writhing mass of humanity that massed at the railing and refused to look at Treize. "Oh. Well. That's perfectly all right, Treize," I replied, my tone as coldly neutral as I could manage. "I'll be fine. I appreciate your concern."   
  
"You'll be more than made up to, Sally. I promise. Dinner will not be with company."  
  
He led me up the ramp, being completely proper in the way he held my arm, the way he guided me toward the rest of his guests.  
  
Of course, my mind supplied. He has an audience.   
  
I took a deep breath and let my anger propel me forward. A sea of faces swam in front of my eyes; I was sure I saw Duke Dermail, that strange, twisted little man with the white hair and the sunken cheeks who was rumored to be Treize's uncle. There were more people there, of course, more people pressing forward, all pushing to get close to Treize, coming close to shake his hand, to touch him.  
  
All those people. And they were all my sworn enemies.  
  
Once we reached the deck of the ship, Treize dropped my arm immediately and started shaking hands with those people surrounding us, nodding and smiling, not even looking at me. I fixed a smile on my face and slowly moved away from his side, trying to glide through the crowd toward the bar I saw in the middle of the deck. People reluctantly parted as I murmured "Excuse me," their expressions impossible to read. It was obvious they knew who I was, and just as obvious they wanted to do more than simply block my passage to the bar; but they were dull and stupid, and too dazed by Treize's presence to block my way effectively.   
  
Good. I hated him, but I wasn't above using him when I needed him. I was going to the bar, and that was that.  
  
As I elbowed my way out of the crowd, I looked over at the railing of the ship. Wufei was standing there, a sullen, long-suffering look on his face. He was surrounded by several people, male and female, all giving him very flattering looks - including a couple of the women and one of the men looking downright lustful.   
  
My jaw almost dropped to my chest when I realized what I was seeing, and my feet couldn't take me over to Wufei's side fast enough. Changing my direction completely, I found myself pushing through the crowd, placing my hand on Wufei's arm, standing at his side in mere moments.  
  
"Wufei, would you like something from the bar? May I get you something?"  
  
I smiled at him, pointedly turning my back on everyone else surrounding him, including the man who had been speaking to him. Yes, I interrupted someone. No, I didn't care.  
  
"Excuse me - do you know who this is?" That officious little man was right at my ear, whining into it, giving me a look that plainly said, 'why are you touching this monster?'   
  
I turned my head, slowly, and regarded him as I would a bug that had accidentally dropped onto my dining room table. My gaze shifted to the women surrounding him; they were staring at me with those sly, catty looks that only women can give and are SO incredibly hateful.   
  
"Of course I know who he is," I replied, my expression as frosty and cold as I could possibly make it. "And if you knew who he was, you would be polite as well."  
  
The man narrowed his eyes at me, adjusted his pince nez and frowned.  
  
"I've found that good manners go a long way in mending relationships," I finished, smiling smoothly at him, still holding Wufei's arm. Wufei gave him a death glare, not sparing him in the least.  
  
That ... man ... blinked once; then a hateful smile spread across his face. He chuckled. "Indeed. I'm surprised he allows the two of you to interact."  
  
Wufei continued to glare at him. "Keep that up and I'll tell him you said that."  
  
The man stared at Wufei, not blinking.  
  
Wufei stared back, not intimidated in the least.  
  
The ladies, of course, saw this staring contest and started clucking behind gloved hands, cultured hens that they were. I consigned them to the same hell I put Treize in. In my opinion, they deserved each other.  
  
I narrowed my eyes and smiled sweetly at all of them. "Now, now ... I don't believe there's any reason for rudeness here, is there?"  
  
The man backed down, his face flushing as he muttered, "Fine. You'd best watch it, boy."  
  
"As had you," Wufei said evenly. "I know what he'd do if he found out you were being rude to us."  
  
The man took a deep breath, eyeing me as he did, his face turning a pasty pale. Wufei's words obviously had their desired effect as the man sniffed, straightened his shoulders and walked away, grumbling. I caught a few words he muttered under his breath as he stalked by me, key among them 'going to hell.' I smiled and turned toward Wufei, again ignoring the other people still gathered around him.  
  
"Come on, Wufei," I said gently. "Let's go have a drink."  
  
"I sell myself every time I do that," Wufei murmured, resigned, as we turned and headed across the deck. Out of the corner of my eye I saw most of the ladies near us watching him - some of the men, too - and their voracious, hungry expressions made their faces a grotesque parody of the proper and elegant facade they held up for public display. I shivered and walked a little faster, looking at Wufei. And then it struck me - not only was he completely alien in looks, he didn't move the way a normal person moved. He was catlike, graceful, strong and silent; no wonder those people were watching him with such avid interest. Why didn't I notice that before?  
  
I followed him, trying to keep myself in between their gazes and Wufei, hoping that we'd disappear into the crowd. We finally made it to the bar, with Wufei sliding on top of one tall barstool, leaning on the broad counter.  
  
The bartender - a muscled, tough looking guy, slightly balding with red hair, anywhere from his late forties to early sixties - gave him a pitying look. Not, however, like the other passengers. It was more along the lines of - well - as if he knew what was actually going on, and didn't really approve.   
  
I frowned as I walked up and looked at him. Could that be true - was it possible ...?   
  
"The usual?" He spoke kindly to Wufei, looking right at him, wasting no words.  
  
"Please."  
  
The bartender turned and immediately started fixing whatever was 'usual' for Wufei; and whatever that was involved several bottles snagged from the bottom of the bar and a blender.  
  
I slid onto the seat next to Wufei, tilting my head to look at him. "How long - how long do we have to be here, with all these - ah - people ...?"  
  
He knew exactly what I was asking. "Oh. Until we arrive. At least two hours."  
  
The bartender handed him his drink. It was an ugly, orange color, in a very tall glass. Wufei accepted it with a nod and knocked it back, draining it in one gulp. I sat there and watched him, stupefied more at his answer to my question than at what he just did.  
  
"Do you want one, too?" the bartender asked, amused, looking at me.  
  
"Um ... yes, please."   
  
The bartender nodded, grinning, and turned back to make my drink as I continued to stare at Wufei. "Two ... hours?" I felt like I was a hothouse flower, taken into the freezing cold, starting to wilt. This was going to be more of an ordeal than I had anticipated.   
  
"Umm ... okay, then. Tell me something. What did you mean about - 'selling yourself' every time you 'did that' - did you mean 'selling yourself' to those people? and every time you did what? I wasn't quite sure..."  
  
"Not to them," he replied, bitter. "Never to them."  
  
I blinked, as his meaning became clear. "...oh." Gads. It doesn't take me long, now, does it? Only being hit between the eyes every now and then.   
  
The bartender's soft laughter brought me back to myself. "Something's funny?" I asked as I accepted my drink from him.   
  
His look was amused, but not condescending. "Lady, you might want me to add a little liquor to this. It's a glorified V8."  
  
I put the glass down and stared at it. At the same time, Wufei handed his glass over to him. "Another."  
  
The bartender nodded, took his glass and scanned the room, apparently not pleased with what he saw.  
  
I stared at my glass again, then pushed it toward him. "You're damn right I want something added. Vodka, please."  
  
He nodded at me as he took my drink. "Ignore them," he said, bobbing his head at the crowd. "Don't even look at 'em. It'll just make 'em more annoyed. One shot? more? Or would you like to add it? I wouldn't advise getting drunk, considering who's in charge here."  
  
Feh. There was always that, hanging over my head. A quick glance toward the other end of the ship showed me Treize, smiling, flirting, and very much in control, not even looking in our direction.  
  
Good. I nodded, staring at him darkly. "Just give me the bottle. I'll put my own vodka in. I know how much I need." About three liters should do it.   
  
The bartender shrugged and handed the bottle over to me, then went back to cleaning glasses. Not his problem now. He warned me. I turned my back to the rest of the boat and splashed a generous amount of vodka into my glass, then put the bottle back on the bar.  
  
"Thanks. I appreciate it."  
  
"Don't overdo it." He shrugged and put it back under the bar, as if it was something he did every day. "Just lemme know if you want the bottle again."   
  
Maybe it WAS something he did every day ... gods, I didn't know.   
  
"Okay ... I will. And I'll keep your advice in mind." Really, what else was I going to do? I sighed, and took a long, satisfying pull from my glass. The vodka ran down my throat and into my body like a flame.   
  
I sighed, feeling the liquor relax my muscles. The talking and laughter from the crowd on board washed over me, a shallow chittering sound common to this kind of party. Treize wasn't even glancing in our direction; it seemed as if he was allowing us some privacy, as strange as that seemed.  
  
Well, good. We could use it. At least, I knew I could use it.  
  
"Wufei ... you never explained exactly what you meant."  
  
"You even wonder?" He snorted softly, looking at me. "I am not only putting myself under Treize's dubious 'protection,' I am claiming him as my owner - and as such, am something that others may see but may not touch."  
  
"Oh. I see what you mean." I took another long pull at my drink, feeling the vodka run through me again, staring in front of me. "I suppose, though, that's true enough for both of us. That we're both just - trophies. Toys of war, given to the victor ..."  
  
"No. He's never that impersonal. He doesn't want trophies - they're dull."  
  
"So ... what are we, then? If not trophies, then what?"   
  
I leaned my elbows on the bar, looking closely at Wufei, turning my back on an older man who was pointedly trying to get close enough to overhear our conversation. Pervert.  
  
"Don't bother glaring at him," Wufei said, nodding at the older man. "Callahan is right. Just ignore them."  
  
"Okay ..." I tried to relax, looking at him, reasoning that Callahan must be the name of the bartender. "You didn't answer my question, you know."  
  
".... I know," he finally said, reaching for another veggie drink. "Pets might be a closer term, but it's still not right - because he wants us communicating on a much higher level. He is fascinated with man, and what man can do. And those of us who are above average ... attract his attention. Like shiny things to an infant."  
  
"Infants do not dangle their toys in front of others just to show them off - and we are definitely on display," I snapped, testy.   
  
"That's different. We are being shown off because it's expected. He would rather not show us to anyone at all."  
  
"And how many times has this happened to you since you've been with him? How many times have you had to endure this?"  
  
He thought, frowning. "Three or four. He's always loathe to do it."  
  
I looked at Wufei critically; it wasn't that I didn't believe him, it was that I knew if Treize had a choice, he'd rather not show Wufei off. He certainly didn't have any compunction about showing me off at all. In fact, he just dumped me off in the crowd at the top of the gangplank as we came aboard the ship - no preparation, no nothing. I almost snorted out loud - that really showed me the difference between Wufei and me. And apparently, he told Wufei he was 'under protection,' whatever the hell that meant. He certainly didn't tell me that.   
  
"Wufei. I think you're right, if we're only discussing you. It's a different story, though, if you're including me."  
  
He didn't hear what I said; he tossed back another veggie juice, slamming his glass down on the bar, demanding, "Again."  
  
Callahan nodded and started to mix another drink. He wasn't laughing at Wufei, because that would be rude, but he obviously thought Wufei was cute.  
  
I watched Callahan. "So. You've seen this happen before."  
  
Callahan glanced over at me, across the blender. "Seen what?" he asked calmly, pouring Wufei's drink into a tall glass, putting a long stalk of celery in it and handing it to Wu.  
  
I gestured to the crowd around us, tilting my head and looking askance at him. "Why, this young man being ogled by countless well wishers, of course; and coping with that by drinking enormous amounts of tomato juice laced with Tabasco." I raised my eyebrows in feigned disbelief. "One would wonder why there wasn't any alcohol in his drink, but I'm sure I could take a guess ..."  
  
"Well, he won't drink it. And as to the other - yes, I've seen this before." Very casually, Callahan added, "I like the kid."  
  
"That's good," I said, looking right at him, "because he seems to like you, too. That doesn't happen often."  
  
"He likes men that are real with him," Callahan said, watching me.  
  
"Yes," I agreed, nodding. "Not much of that in this crowd, though." Thinking for a moment, I sipped my drink and asked, "Callahan ... where are all these people going? Are they all going to the opera, as we are?"  
  
"No," he said, wiping the counter. "They're all going to dinner. There's a meeting tonight - like minds, and such. It's official, but not quite. Treize is skipping out early."  
  
"Really?" That certainly piqued my interest. Treize was supposed to be attending a meeting tonight? Now, how was he supposed to be at a meeting AND be at dinner and the opera with us? Could he really be in two places at once? I was anxious to see how he was going to do that. "So, they're all going to be in the same place for dinner?"  
  
"There aren't that many of them, you know. Just the brains of -"  
  
And then he stopped talking; turned right off like a spigot. Callahan shut up and went back to cleaning glasses, his face poker blank. I looked at him, realizing he saw something that shut him up.   
  
"Ms. Po?" A deep, unfriendly, masculine voice called my name right behind my left ear. I sucked in my breath, turned, and came face to face with Duke Dermail, the former Romefeller commander in all his militaristic grandeur.   
  
"Why, Duke Dermail," I murmured, inclining my head slightly, trying my best to appear as cold and distant as possible. "What a pleasure to finally meet you." I was amazed to find that I still had the power to sound so sincere, even when I was lying through my teeth.  
  
"So. You are the real Sally Po," he rumbled, not intimidated in the least, staring at me.  
  
"I am indeed," I said, watching him, as glacially frigid as I could manage, waiting for him to say something else.  
  
"Come with me," he ordered peremptory, turning on his heel and striding through the crowd that magically parted for him.  
  
Well. That was certainly surprising. I looked sideways at Wufei, who simply shrugged. I shrugged back, slid off my barstool and sauntered after the Duke. The crowd parted for me, too - just not as smoothly as it did for him. More people crowded forward to gawk at me, it seemed. I ignored them, of course; pretended they weren't there, and kept on walking, never allowing my gaze to stray from Dermail's back.  
  
He led me right into the midst of a small cluster of heavyweights, both men and women, the movers and shakers of what used to be the most powerful people in the world - until Treize took over, that is. Now that Treize is your new sovereign, I thought nastily as I stood there, ticking their names off in my head, I wonder - how does that make you feel?  
  
In fact, if I wasn't mistaken, that was Treize watching this little tableau from the other side of the room. I thought I saw him out of the corner of my eye, not really turned in this direction, but just glancing over here. Keeping an eye on things, I suppose.  
  
I stood back and watched them, sharp-eyed and wary, waiting for one of the crowd to speak to or otherwise acknowledge me. Dermail led me over to them, true, but once he accomplished his task, he took his place among the ranks, folded his arms and regarded me with a suspicious, unfriendly stare. As I slowly turned and looked around the group, I found the others seemed to be doing the same thing; summing me up, measuring me for ... something.   
  
I felt as if I was standing eye to eye with a nestful of pythons, and the worst thing I could possibly do was to show them I was afraid. Something inside me stiffened at the very IDEA that these people actually thought they could intimidate me; anger surged through every vessel and pore, and I felt as though sparks of electricity snapped through my fingers. I raised my chin, narrowed my eyes and stared back at Dermail coolly, daring him or any of them to say something. I was determined to wait until one of them spoke. I could wait all day, if necessary. I knew how this game was played.  
  
"So. This is she." Dermail was always terse, but especially so when he was displeased with something.  
  
"Interesting," one of the erstwhile generals replied. "Not as much as I'd thought."  
  
"I think I will STILL need to speak with him," Dermail said, his dry tone speaking volumes.  
  
I gave him an inquiring look. I had absolutely no idea what the man was talking about, or who he was discussing at this point.  
  
"Hardly necessary," another former general broke in. "The boy can handle himself."  
  
Boy? What boy? I wondered, my brain turning over slowly in my mind. Who the hell was this man talking about?  
  
Dermail tsked loudly. "And has not in the past ... over a pretty face ..."  
  
All the generals laughed, as though that phrase was extremely funny. I stood in front of them, my hands at my sides, my brain racing, not believing they could possibly be considering ... Khushrenada and ... me...? Didn't they know him? How could they possibly think -  
  
One of the ladies, who had been tittering behind her hand, now had the gumption to speak up, ignoring me completely. "Well, as long as he doesn't produce any MORE illicit heirs ..."  
  
Duke Dermail cleared his throat loudly, his mustache twitching. The generals and ladies had the good grace to stop talking, but then they all turned and stared at me.  
  
And frankly, I almost fell off my high heels in shock. Fortunately, I had had plenty of training and was able to keep my expression completely calm and serene while I stared back, the meaning of their discussion and laughter crystal clear. I couldn't believe it, though. These people couldn't be that asinine to say that they knew Treize, and then actually think that I would be able to sway him in any matters at all - and what, because of my looks? Good heavens, he told me I wasn't his type. They didn't know that?  
  
"He will not do any such thing, ladies and gentlemen. You know it. Indelicacies of youth are just that. And he is no longer a child." Dermail was firm, looking each general in the eye as he made his little speech.  
  
I couldn't have agreed more. My reasons were different, but the result was the same.  
  
At the same time, some idiot woman was tittering something to her friends standing around her about men and producing babies, and the entire nest of them started to snicker.   
  
I had had enough. I was calm, and was presenting a calm front to the world, but was several moments away from asking her to politely go fuck herself AND whatever vehicle brought her there.  
  
"Will there be anything else, General?" I asked politely, turning toward Dermail, a slightly bored expression slipping across my face, telegraphing nothing of my true feelings. At least, I hoped he couldn't see what I was feeling.  
  
"Yes, there is," he snapped, staring at me, his white brows thundering together. "We would like to know what you intend to do."  
  
"Do? In what sense of the word, sir?" I tilted my head and looked at him, my eyebrow arched in mild inquiry. "My activities, as I'm sure you know, are proscribed by General Khushrenada. I can do nothing without his express approval." I gave him a small smile. "So I'm sure that if you'd like to know what I'm going to be doing - sir - you should ask him." I gave Dermail a level stare, raised my chin and kept smiling as I concluded. He was trying to intimidate me, but by God, this man and his friends were NOT going to cow me into submission.   
  
The Duke seemed ready to explode by the time I was finished. Another general pushed next to him, towering over me, trying to make me step back. "My dear lady," he rumbled, leaning toward me, "we don't know anything about your current activities."  
  
In another situation, I might have given way, and actually ceded to him; but right at this instant, I was so angry, so put out by these circumstances, that I actually took a step forward and stared up at this man, narrowing my eyes.   
  
"Indeed?" I asked, my tone as cold as an antic wind. "My current activities - sir - are as I have described them. Or are you deaf as well as thickheaded in not understanding what I previously described?"  
  
While that man sputtered and moved back, Dermail stepped into the fray, snapping, "None of us feel that you have the right to be alive at all."  
  
"That's eminently clear, Duke Dermail. Fortunately for me, General Khushrenada disagreed with you - and here I am." I spread my hands expressively on each side as I stood in front of them, unbowed, clear eyed and very obviously not cowed by their supposed power and position. "Should you wish a full report of my activities, sir - " - and I kept stressing that 'sir' so that it was just the right side of insubordinate - " - you may wish to consult with General Khushrenada. I'm sure he would be happy to give you particulars about my whereabouts, and what he has planned for me in the near future."  
  
I gave them a very small, very polite smile, and bowed my head briefly to them.   
  
Duke Dermail glared at me.   
  
He doesn't like me. Good. He's an asshole. I don't like him, either. That means we're even.  
  
"Ms. Po. Given that he IS my nephew, some responsibility does fall on me. You, I feel, are a threat. Nothing that you have said or done has relieved that. Excuse me, ladies. Gentlemen." Dermail bowed to the people surrounding me and walked away, a senior member of the cabinet, temporarily defeated but by no means conceding the war. A bloodied soldier, to be sure.  
  
I turned and looked at the rest of them with the coldest glare I could muster. Several of them dropped their glances, but the majority of them did not. Most of them, generals and ladies included, seemed utterly cocky. Upon reflection, that was terribly funny, considering that Treize took away all their power; they really had nothing to be haughty about. It was an odd situation.  
  
Nodding to the group, I said, "Excuse me, please." Not waiting to see what anyone said, I turned my back on them and started to wade through the crowd, moving back to the bar, toward Wufei.   
  
I was looking across the crowd when my left arm was grabbed and shaken. Whirling around, I came face to face with Lady Une - but this was not the gentle Lady Une from the colonies. This was the woman I thought of as 'Military Une,' the woman who wore full military regalia and had her hair so tightly wound that I feared she might have pulled several veins in her head.   
  
"Lady Une. It's such a surprise to see you." Watchful and wary, I hoped that she wouldn't try to hit me as she did this morning.   
  
"Lord Treize sends his apologies to you, and hopes you were able to fend off these ... poor people," Une said, looking like she was sucking on a lemon.  
  
At the mention of Treize's name, my eyes narrowed and my hackles rose. I'll just bet he did. His sympathy for me knows no bounds, does it? Give me a very large break.  
  
"Thank you, Lady Une," I said, my tone as icy as possible. "Please convey to Treize that I am apparently - unscathed." I deftly shook off her hand, turned and stalked toward the bar once more, cursing the moment I'd every heard of Treize Khushrenada, that fine red mist settling over my vision again.  
  
"I was not finished with you, prisoner," Une hissed in my ear. She grabbed my arm and hauled me back to stand right in front of her. Amazingly enough, no one noticed anything amiss, other than two women having a close conversation; or, if they did, they chose to ignore it.  
  
"Forgive me, Lady Une," I grated out, now trying to pluck Une's viselike grip off my upper arm. "What else did you need to tell me?"  
  
"The rest of Treize-sama's message, you fool. And you do not leave until you are dismissed."  
  
I stared at her, deciding to let that go. "...and the message was...?"  
  
"That since you are obviously fully grown and quite capable of handling yourself with adults, to please go and help Wufei." She let go of my arm as if it burned her hand. "Now you are dismissed." Une spit the last part as if it was something completely distasteful, wrinkling her small nose in dislike. Then she tossed her head and marched off, her task finished. The crowd quickly swallowed her up.  
  
I was left staring after her, dumbfounded.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Where's Wufei? Where's the young man I was with?"  
  
The bartender, Callahan, nodded surreptitiously toward an area near the back of the bar.  
  
"Thank you," I said in relief, and hustled over in that direction.  
  
I found Wufei in a very odd situation indeed. He was surrounded by several of those generals who had just surrounded me; and in fact, they were the ones who hadn't dropped eye contact, the ones who thought they were still in charge of ... something. I wasn't even sure what they thought they were in charge of, though, since their commissions were null and void; OZ was in power now, not Romefeller. Treize was standing off to one side, sipping a glass of wine and not interfering, with an expression that looked as though he was an impartial observer, conducting an experiment.  
  
I ignored Treize, glided over to Wufei's side and put my hand on his arm. He automatically pulled his arm away but didn't move away. By this time, I understood a little more about Wufei; I knew he was sensitive to touch, and since he didn't physically move away from me, I knew he wasn't rejecting my presence or my help. Wufei was simply being ... Wufei. .   
  
"I said, the answer is completely illogical," Wufei snapped at the generals. "Your reasons are riddled with fallacies, and you have no proof other than the deranged ideas of your own mind."  
  
I gave the generals my best winning smile. "What are you discussing, Wufei?" I asked, not taking my gaze from the men in front of us.  
  
"Idiocy," he snorted, glaring at the generals.   
  
Some of the older men laughed at that. One man, his hair grizzled and gray and with a scar halfway down his face said in a lofty tone, "I simply think, my dear boy, that once you've lived a little longer --"  
  
"I have lived as long as I care to," Wufei broke in, peevish, "and length of life does NOT change foolish preconceptions!"  
  
"Gentlemen, please," Treize interrupted. "The boy IS only 15." He gave Wufei an even glance. "And ad hominem arguments are never acceptable."  
  
Wufei flushed and looked away.  
  
Well, I was not going to allow Treize to have the last word, certainly not treating Wufei like that. "However, the observation Wufei made about length of life and preconception is accurate," I interjected quietly, glancing at Treize. "Possibly the adjective describing such preconceptions could be omitted -"  
  
"Exactly!" Treize exclaimed, beaming. "You see? They all become scholars."  
  
I blinked up at him, then over at Wufei - and knew that Treize had just used me again. This time, though, he used both Wufei and me to show how we had been reformed under his tutelage. Now I felt my face grow warm with embarrassment. Here was something else I should have anticipated, but didn't.   
  
Gods. I so wanted to scream and hit something. Instead, I kept my calm and serene mask firmly in place and myself firmly under control. I was not going to allow anyone the satisfaction of seeing how angry I really felt.   
  
There was soft chuckling all around from the generals. Wufei did not look up at them. I frowned and moved slightly closer to Wufei.  
  
"Well, Treize, I DO see you have him properly cowed," one robust general boomed, looking at Wufei then swinging an unfriendly glance in my direction. "He, at least, is still young enough for reformation."  
  
I glared back at that man, and believe me, there was nothing friendly in my eyes as I looked at him.   
  
There was an uncomfortable moment of silence as Treize regarded that general.  
  
"That was unnecessary, Cartaign," Treize said, his voice soft. "I do not appreciate that, and neither do my guests."  
  
The general's gaze darted from me to Treize. "Your - your guests? My lord, this is just -"  
  
"My. GUESTS."  
  
And had I not been standing in front of Treize, I would not have believed what happened next; in fact, I would have sworn something like that would have had to have occurred only in the imagination of whomever was telling the tale.   
  
A wave of raw, concentrated energy, focused at the generals, hit them en masse and swept over, around and through them, leaving very little room for doubt about who was in charge. It bypassed me and Wufei completely, but we were able to feel it. I could have sworn that Treize's eyes changed color when that happened, from their normal blue to a polished bronze.   
  
Wufei was staring at him, looking both spooked and impressed, which was exactly how I was feeling; I couldn't speak for Wufei, but for myself, I'd say that it was more spooked than impressed.  
  
"My ... apologies ... sir," the general stammered, staring at Treize.  
  
Treize nodded, relaxing a little. "Very good, Cartaign." He looked over at me. "My apologies, Ms. Po." Then he nodded his head - but it looked as though he bowed to me - straightened - glared at the rest of the generals, and walked off, smiling and calm, to address another group.  
  
The rest of us were left there, staring after him. No one moved at all - they all watched him as he moved into the next group, smiling and talking to the next cluster of people.  
  
Enough is enough, I decided. I nodded to the generals. "Gentlemen ..." Then I turned to Wufei, and spoke to him quietly. "Let's go, Wufei."  
  
Wufei looked at me and hesitated.  
  
I murmured so that only he could hear. "Please ... if you don't leave with me now, all this will have been for nothing. These people understand strength, and that's it. Please come with me now."  
  
Wufei looked up at me, pulled away a little, and then marched off through the crowd toward the bar. I heaved a sigh of relief and followed him.   
  
Once I reached the bar, I slid onto one of the barstools and leaned on the padded section, feeling exhausted.  
  
"Diet Coke, please."  
  
Callahan poured it into one of the tall glasses with ice and handed it to me wordlessly. A long straw and a pink umbrella made it look festive. I made a face at him. He grinned at me.  
  
"I have no strength," Wufei said woodenly, sipping a veggie drink, sitting next to me. "They respect Treize's strength, and that is that. Hit me."  
  
I wanted to bang my head on the bar. "You have strength, Wufei - they are foolish. They are like dogs in a pack - only brave when there are a large number of them around. Plus, the only reason they respect Treize is because he's already beaten them once, and now he's their superior officer. So please - stop talking about how weak you are. It isn't true."  
  
I looked at Callahan, and noticed he was giving Wufei a slightly disapproving look. Frowning, I saw that Wufei didn't notice that. I wondered about it, but that was swept away when Wufei spoke again.  
  
"He is stronger than all of them - and me."  
  
"Yes, well, but isn't that to be expected? Age does have something to do with that - superior strength, experience .." I looked at him. "Wufei - other than your colony, what other planets did you visit when you were young? Before you started fighting, I mean?"  
  
He shrugged. "None. I never left my colony."  
  
I stared at him, nonplused. "N - none? You never left?" Squinting at him, I asked, "Then how can you possibly expect to be better than everyone if you've never SEEN anything other than your own colony and limited parts of Earth, or tested yourself against anything else other than that?"  
  
Well, Treize did say he came from a race of assassins, you know, my snarky inner voice informed me. And they were SO deadly, remember, that the upper echelons of YOUR military organization ordered you to eliminate all of them ... which you refused to do, remember?  
  
Oh, gods, just shut up, would you please?  
  
Wufei continued speaking as if he never heard me. "I supposedly am superior to him; and I have been given enough opportunities to kill him. He is younger than anybody else on this ship, and he has solidly defeated me. He never makes mistakes. It is impossible."  
  
Callahan refilled my diet Coke. "Don't let him get to you, miss," he said softly. "He does this whenever he gets embarrassed in public. He IS learning not to do things that get him embarrassed."  
  
"Ah ... thank you." I still wanted to rub my face in my hands. "How much longer ...?"  
  
"Look," he said kindly, pointing across the deck.  
  
I gazed in the direction he pointed - and there was a shoreline, dotted with delightful, white, low houses, lovely little sailboats; it looked just picture perfect, Mediterranean beautiful.  
  
An acute feeling of relief washed over me; I couldn't recall seeing anything more welcome or attractive in a long, long time.  
  
I turned to tell Wufei we were almost there, and saw that Treize had just taken the seat on the other side of him. That, more than anything, put my teeth on edge, because it was his fault we were in this position in the first place. I took my diet Coke and stayed on the other side of Wufei, not looking at him at all. In fact, just seeing him there reminded me that I currently hated everyone around me, with the exceptions of Callahan and Wufei.  
  
"Are you all right?" Treize's voice was gentle and soft; he was addressing Wufei, certainly not me.  
  
"Yes." Wufei was short and to the point, not looking at him.  
  
"I am sorry," Treize continued. "I had not expected them to be quite so rough."  
  
After a moment, Wufei replied. "It's fine. I'm fine."  
  
"You handled them well."  
  
Wufei said nothing; then out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod once.  
  
"And you, Ms. Po ... I am quite impressed. I feel I can comfortably release you at ANY time among these wolves."  
  
I stared at the shoreline, refusing to meet his gaze. "Indeed," I murmured coldly, leaning back against the bar. I couldn't care less what he thought.   
  
"Indeed," he echoed.  
  
For some reason, not only did that set my teeth on edge, it actually felt as though he scraped them against metal. I leaned forward, my eyes narrowed, fury and outrage blazing at him. I barely kept myself in control, balling my hands into fists into the fine fabric of my dress.  
  
"You did this on purpose."   
  
At least I was able to keep my voice even and low, and I didn't give in to my first reflex, which was to leap across Wufei and try to strangle him.  
  
Treize looked back at me. He wasn't cold; in fact, it was the first time that I could remember he appeared real. "Tested your courage? Yes. I needed to know if you were capable of handling yourself - and you are. Now, I don't need to worry about you. Be glad, Ms. Po. In a very real way, you've earned yourself some freedom."  
  
I had no idea how it happened, but somehow, he effectively deflated a lot of the anger I held toward him. Now I was confused. "I - I'm not sure I understand -"  
  
"Simply put, Sally, I am going to keep you under my protection in order to keep such vultures as the ones populating the ship away from you. But part of that is my attempt at learning how strong you really are - just HOW much protection you need. It seems to me that you need very little, and that is a compliment, indeed."  
  
Treize stopped talking, and suddenly looked tired - more tired that I had ever imagined he could look. "This is ... all such a hoax. I hate these things," he murmured, putting his head back and closing his eyes.  
  
I stared at him, not trusting what I saw and totally at a loss. "You - you - what? ...then ... why have them?"  
  
"Because they are required." He gave a slow sigh. "Part of society. I hope to eventually make them not as required. Your presence helps, you know, simply because you break the mold - and they cannot cow you." He lifted his head and looked right at me.  
  
"My presence?" I was becoming more confused by the moment. "Well, perhaps - but surely, Wufei does not need to be here -"  
  
"Yes, Sally, he does," Treize said with a weak smile. "Otherwise, he will not build up sufficient defenses against these people for the time when he is freed."  
  
Treize paused at that point; his body language tensed, indicating he wasn't supposed to say that. Both Wufei and I were staring at him, not moving a muscle.   
  
Freed? FREED? He was - he was contemplating setting us free?  
  
"I see ..." I said, after a moment, not seeing anything at all.  
  
"Of course, that is assuming quite a lot ..." Treize began.  
  
"What do you mean, FREED?" Wufei demanded.  
  
"I'm surprised, Treize," I broke in, speaking softly, "that you would mention something like that so soon after we've been made your prisoners. It shows, I suppose, incredible forethought on your part."  
  
"No, Ms. Po, what it really shows is an extreme lack of sleep, tied with the stress of functioning in this kind of situation, plus the nervousness involved with letting the two of you roam." He rubbed his forehead and sighed. "All has gone well thus far, and I am very pleased, but it also means I am less cautious at the moment than I should be. I do wish to free you. Eventually. I am not some collector of people."  
  
Wufei looked at him, amazed. "Wh .. what?"  
  
I looked back and forth between the two of them. "Treize - I'm not sure Wufei understands the timetable you're using. As I'm sure I don't, either."  
  
Treize snorted softly and looked at me. "The timetable is up in the air, my dear lady, depending on how malleable the world proves to be to reform, and how helpful the two of you become. I wish for all these wars to cease. This pettiness, this hypocrisy ... the stupidity that requires us to meet in such a setting as this."  
  
"But ... Treize...." I protested, coldness now shivering up my spine, "what kind of help could you possibly need from us?"  
  
"Why - exactly what you have done," he said gently, looking at me. "You have proven you are more than a match for those foppish fools, which is not what they expected. You have already begun to break down their ideas of the world."  
  
I leaned forward, not believing what he was saying. "Those people hate me, Treize. They've told me that to my face. They want me dead. They would kill me in an instant if they could."  
  
"What?" Wufei exclaimed, staring at me.  
  
"Of course they do," Treize nodded. "They fear you, and with good reason. You are outside their control, outside their comprehension. They dislike you because you represent something they hate - freedom. Putting you under my protection is merely to keep you safe while you do what you do best - live."  
  
Both Wufei and I sat back and stared at him. We had nothing to hide. We were both speechless.  
  
Wufei was the first to try to speak. " .... wait ... you ..."  
  
I tried next. "You ... are keeping me alive ... as a symbol of ... freedom?" I felt as if my brain was going to implode.   
  
Treize gave me an even look. "Yes. You are the living embodiment of it. Of defiance against tradition. Against the stupidity that allows some to rule. I am tired of convention, Sally. Man cannot flourish when stifled."  
  
My mouth was slightly open; when I realized that, I closed my mouth and continued staring at him. Wufei's mouth worked a bit, but nothing came out.  
  
I tried again. "Do - I - I was a leader with the resistance - are you saying that - that you agree with their position - and - "  
  
One look from Treize was enough to stop me from talking. I closed my mouth again and just looked at him.   
  
"Sally," he said gently, "I led my OWN resistance. Or are you forgetting that I gutted the current administration completely? I am reforming it. I find you to be a most excellent example of humanity. A marvelous, noble, beautiful creature. One to be prized, not condemned. And the fact that these fools cannot see this simply proves their own inadequacy."  
  
And what does one do after someone says something like THAT, hmm? I stared at him helplessly, then looked away, knowing my face was turning the color of ripe tomatoes again, but powerless to do anything about it. I glanced over at Wufei, wondering if he could help in any way ...?  
  
No help there. That poor boy was gaping at Treize like a fish out of water. He'd be lucky if his jaw didn't hit the floor.  
  
And now Treize wasn't looking at either one of us. He was sprawled against the bar, his arms draped on either side of him, relaxed; his legs stretched out, long and lean on either side of the barstool; and I was noticing once again how beautiful, how perfect he was. I shook my head, looking at the floor, my face still flushed. Gads - how irritating was this? I really had to fix this bizarre hormonal quirk of mine somehow. I didn't even like the man.  
  
"Vodka, please."  
  
"Right away, sir." Callahan splashed some in a shot glass and handed it to him. Treize nodded his thanks and knocked it back, neat, with a single wrist motion, the way I'd been taught. Sunlight somehow filtered through the deck and caught the edges of his hair, turning it bronze. I had to shake myself; I was staring again.  
  
"There. I think I can go back now." Treize put the shot glass down on the bar, stood, turned, and eyed both Wufei and me. "Thank you for the refresher." He smiled at us. "Oasis, really." He bowed slightly in our direction. "See you on shore."   
  
Treize turned and walked slowly across the deck, in character again, smiling and shaking hands.  
  
I watched him leave and spoke to Wufei at the same time, hissing urgently, "Wufei - what just happened?"  
  
"I ... I ... don't know," he replied, looking stunned and more than a little confused.  
  
Callahan leaned over the bar to get close to both of us. "You know - it MIGHT be wise to stick close to Treize before you leave, just for the sake of avoiding trouble." He smiled gently. "Just a little friendly advice."  
  
I nodded, still a little shocked. "Um .. yes... okay.... thanks, Callahan. That's a good idea. Okay, Wufei ... let's ... go."  
  
Sliding off my barstool, I took Wufei's arm and guided him toward the crowd, trotting in Treize's wake.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	22. Chapter 21

Tapestry - Chapter 21  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wufei and I were right behind Treize as he strode across the deck, down the gangplank and into the waiting limousine. He opened the door and waved us in, smiling. I moved all the way to the opposite side of the car, mindful of my skirt; Wufei climbed in next and scooted next to me; and Treize slid in last. I heard the door slam, immediately blocking out all extraneous sounds. Tension literally drained away from my shoulders as I leaned back in the seat, exhausted. It was a small physical pleasure simply to sit back, close my eyes, breathe deeply and relax.   
  
As the limousine purred away from dock, it was with a curious sense of relief that I opened my eyes, looked out the window and watched the scenery of the port and downtown rush past. Now, finally, there were just the three of us. I knew it shouldn't feel as good as it did, but for some reason, I couldn't help myself. It DID feel right and it DID feel good and ....  
  
The coolness of the window against my cheek made me realize how hard I was pressing my head against the glass. Gods, what was wrong with me? My feet were throbbing and my face felt flushed, but so what? They weren't excuses to feel comfortable; Treize was here, and he was the man who took away my freedom and Wufei's freedom. Plus, he had just thrown both of us to the wolves on that hideous, never ending cruise from the island to Naples with hardly a backwards look. We were lucky to have survived with our skin intact, because he certainly didn't interfere; in fact, he invited the wolves to attack.  
  
Now I was angry again.   
  
No, no, that was explained, my dear - remember? remarked that strange inner voice. And as for the former, you knew that could happen when you chose to be a vigilante. Consequences always follow your choices.  
  
I blinked and slumped back into my seat, strangely deflated. It was true - not couched in words that I would have used, but true, all the same. I didn't consider myself to be a vigilante, though - I didn't. Really, I didn't.   
  
I sighed and stared out the window again. Naples might have been gorgeous, but I didn't see it.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After a short time, Treize spoke. "We are going to a lovely Italian restaurant for dinner; naturally, I should say. You don't want to eat Chinese here," he added lightly.  
  
Wufei hunched his shoulders together, making himself a very tight, contained ball, his face hard and expressionless.  
  
I laughed involuntarily. "Ah .. no. I suppose not."  
  
Treize smiled and leaned back. Wufei hunched even more.  
  
I took a deep breath and tilted my head forward, just enough to see him past Wufei. "Ah ... will we be doing much walking?"  
  
"No," he replied, glancing over at me. He seemed to think a moment, and then actually appeared to blush a little. "Sally, I'm sorry. How thoughtless of me ... your shoes -"  
  
Wufei, too, glanced at my feet and started to flush a bit.  
  
"Oh - well. That's all right, Treize. As long as I don't have to walk several miles, I'll be fine." I smiled, trying to put a good spin on it. My feet hurt, but as long as I didn't have to walk very far, they would be fine. They had been in worse shape during the war, to be sure; although walking in high heels today was akin to walking with pieces of burning coals between my toes.   
  
"You will not," he assured me, smiling back.  
  
I nodded gratefully, sinking back into the seat. "Ah. That's good, then."  
  
Wufei wasn't responding to anything at all. I bent my head and looked at him, concerned.   
  
"Wufei ... are you all right?" I kept my voice pitched low, only for his ears.  
  
"Un," he responded, shrugging.  
  
"Wufei," Treize started gently, putting his hand on Wufei's knee.  
  
Wufei turned on him with all the viciousness of a viper. "How DARE you touch me!" he exploded in fury, slapping Treize's hand away.   
  
"Wufei, please calm down. I meant no -"  
  
"Don't you TOUCH me! EVER!"  
  
A heavy, dead silence permeated the car. I was stunned, shocked, pulled back as far as I could into my corner of the limo. A still, small voice reminded me that this is how I wanted Wufei to react, because Treize really shouldn't be touching him at all; while another part of me was terribly confused because Treize was preparing Wufei for freedom, and shouldn't he at least be grateful?   
  
Gads. My head hurt. I just came from two hours of this kind of angry, vehement behavior. Was this necessary? Did he have to scream at Treize right in front of me?   
  
They sat, looking into each other's eyes, silent for a long moment.  
  
"Are you finished?" Treize asked, his voice soft.  
  
" ... yes," Wufei answered, settling back,sulking. He drew his arms around himself, his body language very tight, and refused to look at Treize. Or me, for that matter.  
  
In my case that was good, as I couldn't look at him, either. I felt guilty - I was angry at him and I knew that was wrong. How could I be so terribly selfish, more worried about my own comfort than his bodily integrity?   
  
Treize glanced at Wufei once more, completely disapproving, then settled back.   
  
The rest of the journey was made in uncomfortable silence.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The restaurant - a low, Mediterranean style building in adobe brick, earthen tones and red tile roof - was a welcome sight. I nearly bolted out of the back seat; fortunately, several uniformed valets leaped to open the door on my side. I scooted out quickly and stood next to the limo, glad to be out of that stifling atmosphere.   
  
Treize strode around from the other side with a weary smile, looking very grand and noble as Wufei climbed out of the limo. He glared up at Treize and snorted, then turned his back on the general, straightened his shoulders and stomped off into the restaurant.  
  
I watched him go, not quite believing what I just saw. And again, part of me cheered for him being so rude, while another part was aghast as such obviously poor behavior.  
  
Not now. Please, not again. My mind can't take this, I groaned as he disappeared through the arched doorway. He's right, and -  
  
"I can dress him up, but I can't take him out?"  
  
I snapped out of my reverie and looked up at Treize. "Well - we've all had quite a lot of excitement today."  
  
"Yes." Treize sighed as he offered his arm to me. "But I had hoped he was more ready for this."  
  
I took his arm and fell into step with him; naturally, it seemed. "I'm sure he is ready, Treize. It's simply trying, being around so many people." I smiled at him. "Much different when the number is fewer, you know."  
  
"Mmmm ... you know, I think you're right." He led me inside and sighed once, looking satisfied. "I am - quite relieved. You are correct, of course, my dear Sally."   
  
He nodded at the maitre'd at the foyer and walked through the archway and into the restaurant proper. It was a lovely, quiet, Italian restaurant, with a small fountain in the middle. Very discreet, in that there were few tables in the main dining area, and those that were were screened by foliage. Wufei was already seated at a table; apparently, he knew which one was ours and was waiting for us, scowling.  
  
I looked up at Treize and smiled. Would he tell me anything about the former generals and ladies from the ship? "I'm surprised the rest of the party didn't choose to come here for dinner - it's so pleasant."  
  
He snorted softly and gave me a small, sidelong grin. "THEY were not invited."  
  
"Oh ... I see." Ah hah. Exactly what I thought. He's not going to tell me a damn thing.  
  
Treize settled me in a chair next to Wufei, then took his seat on Wufei's opposite side. "I suggest the tortellini alla fungi, with sundried tomatoes and cream sauce," he said without preamble, picking up and then glancing at the menu. "In the mood for veal, Wufei?"  
  
Wufei hissed at Treize through bared teeth, "I will accept no meat from you."  
  
At that, Treize burst into laughter. "If I didn't know any better, Wufei, I'd say you were insinuating something sexual in that statement."  
  
Now I was sure my life had turned the corner from the real into the surreal. My eyes grew wide with shock; hopefully, though, I was keeping my face carefully neutral, not giving any of my true feelings away.  
  
Wufei, though, was not as successful. He was frozen in place, staring at Treize, while his face did a slow burn, turning beet red from the neck up.  
  
Treize was still chuckling. "Then you won't have the veal. I DO want you to have some protein, though ... hm. Chicken? or seafood?"  
  
And that voice - not MY voice, but that other voice I couldn't ignore spoke again:  
  
~~... I COULD have said fish ... heh, heh ... ~~  
  
I started breathing faster again; this wasn't funny. I wanted to ignore it; and I knew that I could ignore it NOW, but something told me it wasn't always going to be that way.  
  
It didn't matter. I could do it now, and that's what mattered. Right. Now. This. Instant. Gads...  
  
"Crab." Wufei leaned back in his chair, literally about an inch more than before, still extremely red.  
  
"Alfredo?"  
  
" ... yes." He was definitely shrinking now, not looking at Treize.  
  
"Fine. Crab alfredo it is. And you, Sally? What would you like?"  
  
"Ah .. well ..." I hadn't been paying attention to the menu at all. Now I looked over at Treize, and found his startlingly blue gaze locked on mine. It was so powerful that the room appeared to dim, go out of focus ...  
  
"Shrimp with angelhair pasta? Or penne pasta? I would suggest the morrell mushrooms -"  
  
Gods, it was easy, so easy just to see his eyes and nothing else, almost a drifting feeling. There was something so odd, so strange in the way I felt - and there was nothing I could do. I wanted to tear my gaze away, but I couldn't; and after a while, even that desire left until all I could do was drift, and drift ...  
  
"Excellent." Fluent Italian and the snap of a menu brought me back to the present, looking down at a lovely place setting, wondering exactly where I was and what had happened. I glanced up in time to see a waiter happily bowing to Treize; both of them were talking and laughing, speaking fluent Italian. Glancing over at Wufei didn't give me much of a clue, either. He was fascinated by whatever was on his plate; his head was down and he was NOT looking up, no matter what.  
  
Gods. I must be coming down with something. Looking for a waterglass, I found and clutched a finely spun, excellent piece of stemware filled with water, ice and a wedge of lemon. Raising it to my lips, I looked across the table and met Treize's eyes. Now they looked normal, that beautiful, clear, sky blue color.  
  
I blinked. Of course they were normal, you ninny. What did you expect?   
  
"So, Sally," he started pleasantly, "did anyone tell you what opera we were going to see?"  
  
And at the same time he was speaking to me, yet another voice - this one very different than that first voice, and definitely not mine - mumbled in my head like a staticky radio station, with only a few words coming through clearly:  
  
~~... inhabited ...... inhuman ... question of ... ... demon ... ... and Seiryuu's child ......~~  
  
I stared at him and blinked, trying to focus on exactly what that other voice was saying. "Ah ... ex - excuse me?"   
  
Treize raised an inquiring eyebrow.  
  
Oh gods, that wasn't good. Recover, Sally, and do it fast. I forced myself to smile weakly at him. "Ah, I'm sorry. You did mention it was Don Giovanni, but I didn't have an opportunity to read the libretto."  
  
He inclined his head a little in gracious understanding. "That's quite all right, Sally. You'll have time to read the synopsis before it begins. Wine?" He held a bottle out for cursory inspection. "It's '89 ... not a bad year."  
  
"Why, yes, thank you."  
  
~~... non human ... much more than human ...~~  
  
He smiled and poured me barely half a glass, then poured some for himself and some for Wufei. I sighed and sipped at it; as usual, he was correct; it was a nice wine, flavorful, good for the table. Wufei, on the other hand, was regarding his glass as if it was a reptile with two heads.  
  
"Wufei. You can drink it," Treize said lightly, watching him over the rim of his glass.  
  
Wufei blinked at Treize, then at the wineglass, then back at Treize.   
  
"Wufei. Try it." To encourage him I took a sip of my own wine. "It's good. Not terribly sweet, either. I think you'll like it."  
  
He stared at his wineglass, as if in shock. If Treize had handed him a toad on a dinner plate, he couldn't have been more surprised.   
  
I tried to relax in my chair, at least a little, when I heard that voice fade in and out again in my mind - and THIS time I was quite sure I heard it. There was no mistaking what it said:  
  
~~... bathroom ... .... Duo ... a dress ...~~  
  
Looking down in my lap, now at least I knew what I had to do; and I had a fair idea of what had been happening, which gave me a great sense of relief. There was nothing mysterious here, nothing supernatural. There must have been a transmitter somewhere close to my chair, keyed to my cellphone, and I was simply picking up the signals.  
  
Fine. More than fine - it was excellent. Because the OTHER ideas I had been considering were pretty fantastic. And not in the good sense.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Treize - ah - would you excuse me, please, for a few moments?" I rose from my seat and placed my napkin on my chair, taking my small clutch with me. "I believe ... the ladies' room is near the entrance ...?"  
  
He raised his eyebrow at me again, but rose to his feet politely. "Of course, Sally. Hurry back, please - our meal will arrive soon."  
  
I avoided his gaze; he always seemed to know whenever I was lying, and I didn't want to deal with that now. "Yes, Treize, I will. Thank you."   
  
As I glided between the tables in the main dining room, that voice prodded me on my way:  
  
~~... demon ...~~  
  
I tried my best to insure that I didn't look as though I was hurrying to leave the dining room, but as soon as I was in the foyer, I scanned for the ladies' room as quickly as I could. Once I found it, I literally sailed into it, praying it was empty. My prayers were answered - it was, except for -   
  
- a French maid? Gods, I looked for Duo, and the only person there was this little cute little French maid with long chestnut hair and a short black dress, cleaning the counter. She had black stockings, great legs, heels higher than mine, a white apron, and when she turned around, she -   
  
I gasped. And then snickered.   
  
Duo scowled at me. "Don't you DARE say a word. They wouldn't hire me over at the San Carlo, and Trowa said you were going to come here for dinner, so .... anyway. You have about five minutes, right?"  
  
I sobered immediately. "Yes, you're probably right. Five minutes tops. Can you lock this door?"  
  
"Not without protests - but we gotcha covered."  
  
He pulled a small key from a ruffled pocked and unlocked the closet door.   
  
"In you go!" he beamed, waving me through the door.  
  
The closet was huge, and had an enormous amount of supplies, including a bench in the back with a small light.   
  
I switched the light on before he closed and locked the door. "You have great legs for this kind of work," I commented with a straight face.  
  
Duo gave me a decidedly ungrateful glare from under long, thick eyelashes.   
  
Obviously fake, snickered my inner voice.  
  
"We don't have long." He dug into the pocket of his uniform again and handed me a small blue tab, about the size of an aspirin. "Clip this to your bra, or something. It'll stay. It's a tracking device."  
  
I nodded and took it from him, surprised to find my hands were shaking a little. They didn't feel like they were shaking, but - there you go. Get into the spy business, and lots of things can surprise you. "Why do you need me to wear this?" I asked as I attached it, turning away from him a little.  
  
"We didn't make it a transmitter, because that's too easy to pick up. And ... well. We don't know exactly where that island is. I mean - I was there, and all, but I was unconscious when I got there, and underwater when I left. Same with Heero. Quatre knows, but we can't get to him anymore."  
  
"Why not?"   
  
Duo gave me a weak smile, shrugging. "His sisters found him. Locked him up. 'For his own good,' you see. And being Quatre, he ... didn't fight. Could've, but - didn't."  
  
I groaned. "What about Sandrock?"  
  
He shook his head. "They didn't get Sandrock - we got him covered."  
  
"Well ... at least you have the gundam. That's good, I guess." I rallied a little. "Listen. Did you know there was a big dinner meeting here today? All the movers and shakers of OZ are at it, except for Treize. I don't know where they went, though."  
  
Duo blinked at me, which given his current costume, looked really cute. "A ... dinner meeting? No, we didn't."  
  
"Eh ... well, the bartender on the ship said ALL those people were going to the same place. One restaurant. And they were all planning something tonight. I dunno, though." I frowned, considering it a little more. "It could've been a trap - some kind of setup to see if I passed on information to anyone, too."  
  
"Nobody's sent us anything." Duo scowled. "We got a couple of insiders, but - everybody's scared to DO anything now that the war's 'lost.' LOST. Yeah, right." He snarled the last word, angry.  
  
I was angry, too. "We can't just sit here, Duo. But I can't even tell you how reliable my information is."  
  
"It's okay," he said, soothing. "You got that much, and you know we're with you." He sighed, looking at the door. "You probably can't stay here that much longer."  
  
"No. I don't think I can." I already felt anxious, looking past him to the door.  
  
"Listen, Sall, it'll be all right. Trowa said he had some way to talk to you. Said something weird about your lineage. I dunno what that means. Just go with it - and scoot, before you get in trouble."  
  
I felt the blood drain from my face. "Was that ... oh. Listen, Duo, ask Trowa when you see him - what did he mean when he said 'demon?' I mean, I heard him and all, and it's an apt description for what's going on, but really-"  
  
Duo gave me a funny look. "I didn't mean NOW, Sall. Trowa's in France. Dunno what you heard, but he's nowhere near here. Now get going! You'll get us caught!"  
  
I stared at him, not understanding. "What - what do you mean, he's in France ... I heard him - that's why I'm here -"  
  
Duo didn't respond. He pushed me toward the door with one hand, opened the door with the other and leaned around the doorframe, making sure the bathroom was empty before shoving me into the middle of the room.  
  
"And flush the toilet - they can hear that in the kitchen!"  
  
I moved into one of the stalls, did as I was told, then went to the sink. With a sigh I washed my hands, adjusted my gown, patted my hair and left the bathroom, leaving the maid cleaning the mirrors.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Steaming angelhair pasta with shrimp was waiting for me as I slipped into my seat at the table, smiling at both Wufei and Treize. Wufei definitely seemed more relaxed; one look at his wineglass told the tale.   
  
"Enjoy, Sally," Treize said with a wave of his hand at my meal. Both Treize and Wufei were halfway through their meals.  
  
"Thank you - it looks lovely." And actually, it looked and smelled wonderful. I started eating, slowly - and it tasted delicious.   
  
Treize poured more wine for Wufei, earning him a strange look.   
  
"More, Treize?" Wufei asked, eyeing his glass with suspicion.   
  
Treize shrugged a little. "You seemed to like it."  
  
Snorting, Wufei eyed the glass a little more. "It is ... odd."   
  
"Very." Treize continued eating, not looking up.  
  
"Very odd." Wufei sounded contemplative, as if he was trying to make up his mind. He shook his head and went back to eating, every now and then glancing back at the glass.  
  
The rest of the meal, brief as it was, proceeded without incident. Treize refilled my wineglass a little more, and Wufei's; we murmured and passed the bread basket to each other politely; but other than that, we had no other conversation.  
  
"Would either of you care for dessert?" Treize asked, looking from Wufei to me. "Our time does grown short, but ..."  
  
"Ah - no, thank you, Treize - not for me," I replied, putting my fork down and dabbing my napkin at my mouth. It would have been nice to drink more wine, but I wasn't going to make a fuss.  
  
"Then if you are both finished ...?"  
  
I rose from my seat and looked over at Wufei. He frowned thoughtfully at his plate, looking extremely relaxed - in fact, I realized that he was slouching in chair, something that was completely uncharacteristic for him. Amused, I wondered exactly how much wine he'd actually had.  
  
Treize rose as well. I looked from Treize to Wufei. "Wufei," I asked, keeping my voice pitched low, "are you ready to leave?"  
  
He looked up at me in mild surprise. "Yes, I am," he replied, standing and blinking. I tried not to snicker as I watched him cat-stretch his back.  
  
"Come with me, my friends," Treize said, offering me his arm again. I smiled up at him and took it, falling into step with him again as he led me through the restaurant, past the bowing maitre'd and out to the sidewalk.  
  
Sultry, warm air surrounded us as we strolled from the restaurant to the theater - and fortunately for my feet, it wasn't very far. I glanced behind to see Wufei following us. Presenting a moody picture, he trailed behind, looking at the sidewalk as he ambled along, his hands in his pockets, deep in thought.   
  
"Well, as you know, we will be seeing Mozart's Don Giovanni." Treize broke the silence and smiled down at me, charming as ever.  
  
"Ah - Mozart is wonderful!" I replied, beaming. "I truly enjoy his music."  
  
"I don't, but his operas are lovely. Much darker than the rest, you know. I do not enjoy most of Mozart's music. It's ... well." Treize favored me with an embarrassed, almost flirty smile. "It's so ... happy. I find it to be very untrue to life."  
  
I shrugged and glanced up at him. "Well, I suppose that's true - but not all of life is dark. There are some bright moments, too. You can't have one without the other; everything needs to be in balance."  
  
"But his music, with the exception of the operas and the requiem, of course, is almost perpetually bright. I cannot blame him; it was the period, after all. Even the architecture was airy."  
  
I nodded. "Quite a bit different from the gothic style of the previous centuries."  
  
"Mmm. And from the turmoil that came after it - but what could one expect? The Age of Rationalism had removed God, and they had not thought to replace him with something else."  
  
In very many ways, it was easy to talk with Treize. Well - perhaps too easy, as I found myself saying more than I meant to say. Then again, I wasn't saying anything I didn't truly believe, so why should I lie? And we weren't discussing the war, or troop positions, or the resistance, so I didn't see any danger in what I was doing.  
  
An odd thought ran across my mind - he never asked me any questions about my involvement with the resistance. Wasn't that ... strange? Wouldn't he want to know? It felt weird - but I needed to push those questions to some other part of my mind, to be examined later. Right now there were other things demanding my attention.  
  
First - Treize was looking right at me, expecting some kind of response. It wasn't good to keep him waiting; he tended to get snippier when that happened, even if accidental. Second - that off-the-cuff comment sounded vaguely familiar. I was fairly certain he used that in a speech several months ago; and if that was true, then I was being had again. Hmm ... I didn't like that.  
  
Tilting my head, I raised one eyebrow and asked, deliberately skeptical, "And what do you believe people have currently put in place of God? Themselves?"  
  
"Well. That's all that's left, isn't it?"  
  
"You know, I'm not sure I agree at all. Even if one did not believe in 'God' in the traditional sense, there is always the problem of the 'divine spark.'"   
  
As I gazed up at Treize, I belatedly realized that he thoroughly enjoyed people disagreeing with him. He thinks it's invigorating - and he LIKES it. And I just walked right into it, I thought, grinding my teeth. Gods, I did it again. I am such a moron.   
  
Treize laughed softly and patted my hand. "Indeed. And how do you define that, Sally?" He looked straight into my eyes, his blue eyes sparkling and appealing, appearing very interested in what I had to say, waiting for me to speak.  
  
"Ah ... well." I glanced at the park on my left, gathering my thoughts, frowning a little. Lush, verdant trees and grass gave a picture perfect background for the last rays of sunlight to just shimmer through the branches and skim the edges of some leaves and grass with gold fire. Looking at that picture helped me think.  
  
"I mean - something had to start the process. I'm not sure I'm explaining this adequately, but life had to spring from somewhere. You could argue it was always here, and man is simply another manifestation of it - but even in that case, man can't claim to take the place of God."  
  
"Very good, Sally. There is simply too much order in the universe for it to have come from chance. Order cannot come from chaos."  
  
"And man did not impose a structure on the universe."  
  
"Absolutely true, except for one question. 'Replace' God, Sally? Perhaps that isn't necessary. Perhaps God isn't even active with man at all, my dear. He has not been for a very long time."  
  
"But - wait - didn't you say that the Age of Rationalism had removed God?"  
  
He smiled down at me. "Let us say that in the Age of Rationalism, man realized that he neither needed God nor proof of His existence. Of course, as you said, something had to get everything started; I am quite convinced of that. However, I rather think He didn't bother with us afterward, don't you?"  
  
"Well, that's certainly one viewpoint," I replied, raising my eyebrow at him.  
  
An eloquent shrug rippled across his shoulders. "And you see evidence of Him ... where, Sally? Aside from that which stems from creation directly, that is."  
  
He was leading me toward an old, restored stone building, several stories tall,with Moorish arches on the first story and Corinthian columns gracing the second. Structures like this were common in this part of Naples, but none were as tastefully understated as the San Carlo opera house.  
  
I glanced behind, and noticed that Wufei was indeed taking his time as he meandered along. "I suppose you could say that which makes us human could be a manifestation of ... but that's difficult to define."  
  
"Correct. It seems to me, Sally," Treize said as he bowed me through one of the large, Moorish arches, "that man is simply autonomous - and to attempt to live according to a God whom no one really sees or experiences is foolish and an excuse."  
  
I gave him an odd look. "But - live according to God in what way?"  
  
He shrugged. "No one seems to know, do they?"  
  
"Do you mean morality?"  
  
"Everyone has holy books, holy prophets, holy law ... saa, Sally, it's not very practical." Treize paused for a moment, looking behind me, his eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown. "Wufei - hurry up, please," he called, raising his voice slightly. "I have his ticket, you see," he explained, lowering his voice again, smiling a little.  
  
"Oh ... I see." I thought for a moment, watching Wufei take his time. "Wait. Do you mean conventional morality is not practical?"  
  
"Conventional to whom, Sally?"  
  
"Ah." I glanced up at him, then looked out at Wufei again.   
  
He leaned toward me, smiling but insistent."I know you understand me, but that is not the point. I would like an answer - conventional to whom? For example," he continued casually, "Wufei's culture views virginity as something to be protected at all costs - and yet, I think you will have to admit our own does not. Whose is correct?"  
  
I frowned, feeling my face get warm. "Are you saying that morality is purely cultural? That, depending upon where you're born, you're inculcated with a certain - ah - 'morality script,' for lack of a better phrase?"  
  
"Of course not. After all, morality is TAUGHT. What child, without instruction, knows it is 'wrong' to steal, or to hit? Or to claim things not its own AS its own?"  
  
"Yes, but some things are not explicitly taught. Many things are learned simply by observation, and -"  
  
"Saa, but that is just another form of teaching. If you took a child - let it grow up without being SHOWN these things - would it not act simply as it did as an infant? Selfish?"  
  
Finally Wufei drifted up to us, glancing at Treize as he wandered up the steps.   
  
"Are you assuming that the infant grew without observing or interacting with anyone else?" I asked, looking at him incredulously.  
  
"I am merely saying this, my dear Sally." Treize held the door open for Wufei and me, ushering us both inside. "Whether you learn by observation or simply by being taught, the fact is that morality is learned - it is not innate. That means it can be shaped for the betterment of Man as a whole. Its purpose is that, after all, ne?"  
  
We strolled across the foyer with the rest of the crowd. It was as breathtaking inside as it was outside; the San Carlo opera house lived up to its reputation, rivaling La Scala in looks and beauty. Its acoustics were legendary, even after the fires and the many renovations it had undergone; however, all that was lost on Wufei and I, as we now were staring at Treize in unsettled surprise.  
  
"If morality can be shaped in one way," I started slowly, "... then ... it can certainly be shaped in others."  
  
"Absolutely," Treize agreed.  
  
I stared at him for a beat. "Warped, in fact."  
  
"Hence, why it is essential that it is done carefully. Think of the book Oliver Twist. Have you read that classic, Sally?"  
  
"Yes. Years ago."  
  
"Fagan's - 'children.' Did any of them see anything wrong with lying? Stealing? With, in general, breaking all the laws they could?"  
  
I hesitated. "Well ... no. Because of their circumstances, they believed they were entitled to get whatever they could -"  
  
"Of course. That would be an example of being ... poorly taught."  
  
He stopped speaking for a moment as we approached the main body of people waiting in line to be seated in the orchestra section. We stopped walking; Treize smiled and leaned down toward us, speaking quietly again, his hand still on my arm.  
  
"To my mind, the point of morality is to make society livable. But, as you say, what happens when you have a clash of 'moralities?' Then one must decide what is best for man as a whole. Your freedom fighting is the perfect example."  
  
I stared up at him, my eyes widening in response. What exactly was he trying to say? Treize glanced down at me, patted my hand, then looked over my head and spoke to someone in flawless Italian.  
  
"Si, signore. Follow me, please."  
  
I turned and looked behind me. There was a dark haired young man, an employee of the opera house, beckoning for us to follow him across the foyer and into a bank of gold-edged elevators. We hurried over to join him; he bowed and motioned for us to enter the elevator before him.   
  
Wufei hung back again, his hands in his pockets, not looking up. Treize glanced down at him, put his right hand in the middle of Wufei's back and moved him inside the elevator. Wufei jumped, then settled down. I watched the elevator operator glance at Treize, then at Wufei, then back at Treize again. Heaving a small sigh, he nodded once, pulled a key out of his jacket pocket, inserted it into a panel and turned it clockwise. A slight jarring sensation shimmered through my legs; the doors closed and we started to climb.   
  
The ride was smooth and silent. Treize kept his hand on Wufei's back, quiet and possessive. Wufei no longer seemed to notice - he was back to being pensive. I turned my head and pulled away, feeling totally useless. Really, if Wufei wasn't going to complain, how could I?  
  
"Your floor, sir."  
  
The elevator operator bowed to us as he opened the door and let us out. Snicking quietly behind us, the doors closed and the elevator went back down to the lower level, the floor rumbling underneath our feet.   
  
"This way." Treize strode directly across the carpeted hall to a curtained doorway, leading both Wufei and me to one of the private boxes. He pulled the curtain back, allowing Wufei to go in first.   
  
"I do enjoy Nicolas, the young man who escorted us here," Treize said calmly to me, barring my way as I tried to follow Wufei into the box, "but he's gay, and has no qualms about making himself available to people he finds attractive." Gently, he added, "I rather thought Wufei would not react well, so I attempted to make boundaries clear - you see?"  
  
"Ah - I - believe so. Wufei didn't seem to notice, either." I blinked, looking up at him, realizing that Wufei didn't seem to notice Treize's hand OR Nicolas' interest. In fact, Wufei hardly seemed to notice anything at all.   
  
Treize nodded at me. "I'd prefer it that way. Such innocence is hard to find these days. After you." He bowed his head at me, smiling.   
  
I smiled back at him and went to the entrance, squinting, trying to see Wufei inside. Immediately, that voice - the staticky one from the restaurant - mumbled in my head again, clearer this time:  
  
~~...did that ... so you would see he has WHYS for everything he does ... and to try to tell you his reasons are GOOD ...~~  
  
Shocked and not believing what I just thought I heard, I stumbled over to the seats in the box, then twisted around to see the general follow me.  
  
Treize stepped inside. He was momentarily silhouetted against the bright light of the hallway, emphasizing the breadth of his shoulders and the way he had to stoop and turn sideways to move though the doorway. My breath caught in my throat; he appeared huge, enormous. And when he drew the curtain and effectively cut the three of us off from the rest of the world - gods, I thought I stopped breathing altogether. It might have been irrational, but I felt surrounded, imprisoned; trapped, with no way out.  
  
Fortunately when I turned around, I saw our box overlooked both the stage and the orchestra, opening toward the rest of the house. I sighed in relief; that claustrophobic feeling constricting my chest loosened its grip. Our seats were in a box near the curtain on the third level, fairly high from the main floor. It gave us an excellent view of the entire stage.   
  
The San Carlo had the reputation of being the oldest working theater in Europe, and was rumored to be Rosinni's favorite. I could certainly see why; the stage was a beautiful, meticulously constructed proscenium stage, and the house itself was in pristine condition.  
  
My eyes adjusted to the low light. Wufei sat in one large chair on the left; there were two empty chairs on his right. Treize walked behind me and put his arm around my waist, guiding me to the large chair on the extreme right, while he took the empty chair in the middle.   
  
"Please?" he asked with a smile.  
  
"Oh ... of course." I responded automatically, smiling back at him, arranging my skirt around me as I sank back into the velveteen cushions. I knew he wanted to sit next to Wufei, just as I knew he didn't want me sitting next to Wufei. No outside influences on his boy, chortled my snide little internal voice.  
  
That same low lighting made it possible to look at the programs, but nearly impossible to read them. I squinted and thumbed through the program to find something - anything - first, that I could actually read, and second, that was written in the common language. I couldn't find a single thing. Nothing. Not even the advertisements - everything was written in Italian.   
  
I tried to look over at Wufei to remark to him about that, and found that I couldn't even see him, much less say anything to him. Treize was in the way. And there was something about Treize that evening, too - the way the light and shadows played across his face at that instant - to my overwrought imagination, it made him look godlike, possibly; frightening, definitely; but I couldn't pinpoint exactly why. I only knew that I wanted to run as far away from him as I could; unfortunately, that conflicted rather badly with my instinct to stay as close to Wufei as I possibly could.   
  
No worries, chortled my evil sense of humor. Treize isn't going to let you go, so you and Wufei will always be together. Remember?  
  
"Do you know this opera, Sally?"  
  
Breathing faster, I ignored that nasty voice in my head; in fact, I decided that any voice, whether or not it was my own, was going to be ignored if it was unsolicited. "I'm really not familiar with it," I replied, pleased that my own voice wasn't shaking at all. It certainly felt like it should.  
  
"Ah, well - this opera, my dear, Sally, involved the adventures of a young, Don Juan-like man, who receives his just due at the end when the father of a bride he seduced comes back from the dead to judge him."  
  
I blinked. "My - that sounds a bit drastic."  
  
"Oh, it is - but fully deserved. My dear, in the first scene alone, you will see Don Giovanni compromising that bride on her wedding day."  
  
"No one was there to help her? She was left alone with him on her wedding day?"  
  
"She was not 'left alone.' You will see what happens. Suffice it to say you will be pleased, I think, by the 'justice' meted out." Treize gave a dark chuckle, looking at me and settling back in his chair.  
  
I nodded at him, feeling a little unsure, as the overture began and the house lights were dimmed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He was right. The story, while a sordid tale of treachery and debauchery, was engaging. I cared about Donna Anna, the poor woman Giovanni pursued, and felt badly for Donna Elvira, the woman he had previously seduced and abandoned. She was trying to protect other innocents from her fate as best she could, even though she was still in love with Giovanni.  
  
And Giovanni - ah, he was handsome, cunning and utterly merciless. His lustful desires and complete disregard for anyone except himself left a trail of heartbreak and shattered dreams as wide as his ego.  
  
Every seat in the opera house was filled, hanging on every nuanced syllable from each performers' lips. The mood in the second act became darker; warnings and hints of judgment coming to Don Giovanni if he did not repent, and hints of a supernatural - something - involved in all of this.   
  
I was vaguely aware that Treize was whispering to Wufei a little during some parts of the opera. That wasn't terribly disturbing, though; and he had been whispering to me as well during the first act, explaining some parts that had been confusing. It was a little frustrating that I still couldn't see Wufei, so I had no idea if he was enjoying the opera, or just tolerating it, or was still hunched over in his chair.  
  
And ... well ... the wine at dinner made me sleepy. I felt very warm and comfortable; it was dark in the box, and as all the lighting was fixed right at the stage, it was easy to close my eyes and just follow along with the music. I had a pretty good idea of what was happening, anyway, and I wasn't falling asleep. At least, that's what I told myself.  
  
I was, however, very aware of my surroundings. Very aware of sitting next to Treize, of all people, and near Wufei. Aware of how weird that actually was, but how natural it felt. I wasn't touching him, but I knew Treize's body was next to mine; it felt warm and comfortable. It was an odd sensation, but ... I liked it. I could even identify his smell. It was masculine, somehow, even though it was tinged with the scent of roses; indescribably sensual; just pleasant enough to be sleepily arousing.  
  
The music continued, now spiraling down, its theme becoming darker and more serious. My eyes were closed, and I imagined I understood the entire story - but it changed again, signaling Don Giovanni's last chance at repentance. A bass voice, following a hypnotic rhythm, tolled the Don's name as if in damnation, promising awful consequences if he did not repent.  
  
At the same time, a weird image seared across my mind - an image that made no sense in any context at all, save one I didn't want to contemplate. As the chorus came in, still in that rhythm and still in the same minor key, the image became clearer -   
  
- it was Treize, leaning over Wufei as a large predator leans over its prey before devouring it. This time, though, he wasn't devouring Wufei - he was kissing Wufei.   
  
Deeply. And his hands were ... everywhere ... oh, gods, they were everywhere ... and Wufei was -  
  
I started awake, my eyelids flying open, gasping, in time to hear Giovanni scream and to see demons drop from the rafters of the house into the scenery below. At the same time, a frantic, begging Giovanni was dragged off into the raging inferno to meet his fate.  
  
Whirling, I stared over at Treize. He was sitting next to me, calmly watching the performance, his attention riveted to the stage below.  
  
He wasn't kissing Wufei. He was watching the performance. I was going crazy. I raised my hand to my cheek - it felt hot and flushed, and my heart was racing. Right before dinner, I thought I was coming down with something, too - the room had gone out of focus for a moment or two. Well, this cinches it. I was getting sick. Some kind of flu. That had to be it.  
  
I looked from the stage, to Treize, and back to the stage again. The last thing I saw on the stage was Giovanni's servant struck down; then I heard two final long chords that sounded like death knells - and only at that point was the curtain dropped.  
  
This was SO not like the Mozart I listened to in the past. I sat there for a moment, blinking, stunned by the performance and that - that waking dream, if that's what it was...  
  
The audience, on the other hand, erupted into wild applause, shouting 'Bravo!' and 'Encore!' I joined in when I saw that I would be the odd person out, not applauding at all. Again, I tried to see what Wufei was doing, but Treize was square in the way, so ... no such luck.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Treize bent down and searched my eyes, smiling.  
  
"Ah ... yes, I believe I am," I replied, caught off guard, still looking for Wufei. Of course I was ready. I'd BEEN ready.  
  
Treize offered me his hand and led me out of the box. I turned and finally saw Wufei; he was hunched in his chair, more so than when we arrived. He stood and followed us, not looking at me.   
  
A small, narrow back stairway was directly across from our box; we did not wait for the elevator this time. No one else was around, either. It was easy to glide down the steps, across a small foyer and out the back door, right into the waiting limousine. I slipped into the limo first, Wufei moved in next to me, and Treize slipped in last.  
  
"Home, please," Treize ordered, thumbing down the intercom switch.  
  
I turned to Wufei, about to ask him a question, and stopped. Blinking slowly several times, I inhaled - and noticed that he smelled like ... like roses. Just like Treize. He looked sleepy; his cheeks were slightly flushed; he looked very pretty, and was obviously tired.   
  
"Did you like the performance, Wufei?" I wanted to start a conversation, any conversation with him, just to see if he would answer me. I wondered if he had slept through the second act.  
  
After a moment, Wufei breathed deeply and shifted next to me, as if he needed to wake himself up to answer. "Yes. It was one of the better ones I've heard."  
  
"Best of the six, hmmm?" Treize laughed softly.  
  
Wufei shrugged, flushing a little.  
  
I narrowed my eyes at Treize, then turned back to Wufei. "That's a wonderful start, Wufei," I said, trying to encourage him. "What else have you heard?"  
  
"Treize took me to see Madame Butterfly, Die Zauberflote, Die Frau Onno Schaunen, The Barber of Seville, and The Marriage of Figaro."  
  
"That's quite an assortment," I nodded, thinking. "And you said you enjoyed this one more than the others. It certainly had interesting themes ..." I left that sentence unfinished, waiting to see if he would complete it.  
  
"I think ... in a way, although the Strauss opera was much more developed. I prefer that to all this Mozart. But of the Mozart, yes, I enjoyed this the best."  
  
I opened my mouth to ask him another question when I felt the car slow down and swerve slightly to the right. High piers and the outline of a ship in the darkness showed we had arrived at the dock. The limo rolled to a stop next to several uniformed men.  
  
"We've arrived, sir," the driver announced over the intercom.  
  
"Ah, excellent. Everyone out, please!"   
  
The door opened, as if on cue. A gloved hand reached in to help me to my feet; cool, tangy sea air brushed my cheek and nose as I walked onto the main part of the dock.  
  
"Thank you," I murmured to the doorman as he smiled and leaned in to assist Wufei. He totally ignored the doorman's hand - in fact, he scowled at him, rejecting his assistance as he climbed out of the limo.  
  
Good. That was the Wufei I knew.  
  
We stood on the dock and watched the limo pull away. Sighing, I turned toward the ship, and noticed that Treize was already at the top of the gangplank, speaking to someone I couldn't quite identify.  
  
"Wufei - Wufei?"   
  
"Hmm?" He looked at me, vague and puzzled.  
  
I took his arm and started walking on the gangplank, bringing him along with me. "Wufei, what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself at all."  
  
He looked lost, and shook his head. "I ... don't entirely know."  
  
We walked for a few more moments in silence; I looked up, and saw that Treize wasn't at the top of the gangplank, but Une was.   
  
As soon as I looked at her, my head started to throb. Anyone but Une - it could have been anyone but Une. That woman never liked me at all, and she certainly had no love for Wufei, either. I sighed again, loud enough for Wufei to look up at me, then look in front of us. When he saw Une, his eyes narrowed and he stiffened, pulling his arm away from my grip. We stopped several paces away from her.  
  
Glaring at both of us, she spit out, "Lord Treize has commended that I inform you of the extra bedrooms on deck. Because of a small local storm, we will be taking a longer route home. There are changes of clothes in your bedrooms. This way, please." She immediately swung around and started to march off across the deck, a little windup soldier.  
  
Wufei and I looked at each other, shrugged, and walked after her.  
  
"Small local storm? How large is this storm, Lady Une?" I called after her.  
  
"Not big. We will be steering around it. Coming to the island from the other side, for safety."  
  
"Oh." I started calculating ... it took about three hours over ... and then we would need to add another couple hours to our normal travel time ....   
  
"Lord Treize is laying down and sleeping now, and suggested that you do the same."   
  
"Sleeping?" Wufei blinked, then snorted. "I thought he never slept."  
  
Une swung around and favored him with her Glare of Doom. Wufei kept walking, and gave her his Glare of Doom.  
  
I simply rolled my eyes at both of them and kept walking. After another few moments of awkward silence, I asked, "Are our cabins next to each other?"  
  
"No. Yours is here." She turned and pointed to a small stateroom door, obviously feeling no obligation to open it for me.   
  
"Ah ... and ... Wufei is -"  
  
"This way." She tossed her head and marched down the corridor, back straight as a ramrod; in fact, it looked as if someone stuck a ramrod DOWN her back.  
  
Looking uncomfortable, Wufei shrugged and said, "See you in a bit?"  
  
I nodded, feeling uneasy. "Yes, please, Wufei. Please come back and see me." I watched Wufei walk down the corridor after Une, and an odd thought entered my mind:  
  
His room might be near Treize's.  
  
Yeah. That was not a nice thought at all.  
  
Breathing a little faster, I ducked back into my room and decided to change as quickly as I could. Wufei and I needed to talk about things very soon.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	23. Chapter 22

Tapestry - Chapter 22  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
My cabin was pretty typical, as far as guest cabins on large ships like this go. It was medium sized, with a bathroom attached - large enough for a single bed, a dresser, a nightstand and a chair. There was a small assortment of clothing in the dresser, too; nothing fancy, just unisex clothes set aside for the random guest.  
  
I pulled out a pair of too-large, light cotton navy drawstring pants, a short matching tee shirt and a hooded zip sweat shirt. Relief flooded through me when I saw the assortment of tennis shoes that were neatly stacked next to the dresser. I didn't even care how large or small they were - at least they weren't heels.  
  
As I sifted through the mound of sneakers to find a pair close to my size, a voice drifted from the top of the room. "Sally...?"  
  
"Wufei?" My head jerked up and I looked around, trying to pinpoint his location. "Wufei, where are you? Are you all right?"  
  
I heard him snort. "I'm fine. Stand on your bed so I don't have to shout. I'm simply on the other side of the wall. I counted the doors."  
  
Immediately, I jumped up on the bed, looked up, and stood on tiptoe next to the air vent. "Here I am, Wufei. I'm - I'm getting changed. Look - I want to see you - but I'm not - I'm not feeling quite myself."  
  
There was a short silence. "....yeah. I noticed. Fine. I'll come and get you."  
  
"Okay. I'll be ready."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I sat down on the bed. Carefully, I stripped off all the jewelry I wore and put it on the nightstand; then I stood, unfastened my dress and stepped out of it. Placing the gown and my slip on the bed, I pulled on the pants and tee shirt in about thirty seconds and heaved a great sigh of relief. I felt more like myself in that moment than I had the entire day.  
  
Something still didn't feel quite right, though. Frowning, I reached up to smooth my hair back out of habit, and found that I hadn't taken it down yet. It took a few moments to pluck all the pins from my hair and shake it out; as it tumbled around my shoulders, the tightness and pain around my head immediately lessened. And what was odd was that up until that point, I wasn't even aware that I had been in pain.  
  
Surprising the things we live with that we don't even realize, isn't it?  
  
I ran a brush through my hair, yanked socks over my feet and was just lacing up a pair of shoes when I heard a quiet knock on my door.  
  
"I'm ready, Wufei." I opened the door and grabbed the sweat shirt off the back of the chair at the same time, tossing it over my shoulder. He stood in the doorway, eyeing me as if he was trying to see into my head.  
  
I blinked at him. "What's - what's wrong?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Are YOU?"  
  
"Am I ..." I shook my head, tired. "No. I'm not sure what's wrong - but something's wrong." I sighed, looking past him into the corridor. "Listen. Could we continue this conversation somewhere else? Somewhere other than my room, or your room, or the hallway?"  
  
He thought for a moment. "If you want a good place, we should go to the stern of the ship. The air is strong; the sound will flow behind us."  
  
I nodded, feeling some relief, then pushed out of my room and closed the door. "Excellent. Let's go. No one will be able to hear us out there."  
  
And we hurried, because I didn't want Une or her rabid watchdogs noticing we weren't where they put us. Those thugs, besides being annoying, would have no compunction about tying us - well, let's be honest, tying me - to my bed and leaving me there until we docked at the island, hours from now. Personally, that wasn't the way I wanted to travel.  
  
No one was in the corridor; in fact, the entire deck was deserted. It was obvious there was a storm brewing, as whitecaps rode on the top of the sea and the wind had definitely picked up. I was glad I brought that sweatshirt; it kept the spray off my arms. Wufei was dressed in his normal white, long-sleeved gi, now flapping around his legs and arms in the wind. He didn't seem to mind the chill in the air, or if he did, he didn't say anything about it.   
  
I leaned on the railing and looked out at the sea. "Is this all right? Private enough?"  
  
Wufei leaned on the railing as well, and nodded at me. His face was pale in the moonlight; only his dark, gleaming eyes seemed satisfied; and he appeared to be waiting for me to speak first.  
  
I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "Wufei. I don't know what's wrong with me." Careful, careful. Start with something he WILL believe. "You know, I saw Duo tonight, when we were at dinner." Said casually enough, just looking at him, so it would pique his interest; at least I thought it would. "I tried to tell him that same thing, and it was just as hard to explain."  
  
"You saw DUO?" Wufei's eyes because huge and his jaw almost dropped to the deck, he was so surprised. "Where? What did he SAY?"  
  
Striving to be nonchalant, I continued. "It was at the restaurant - and he didn't have time to say much at all. He had to dress as a French maid to get in there unnoticed, and I only saw him for about five minutes in the ladies' room. He said ... he said no one wants to do much of anything since the colonies capitulated. And he said that they had no idea OZ was having a high level meeting in Naples tonight. They have informants, but their informants never told them about the meeting." I sighed heavily and looked out at the sea. "I told him to be careful - that my information could have been planted, just to see if I passed it along. And he said -"   
  
I tightened my lips and stopped, because, quite frankly, the next thing I needed to say sounded too weird for words.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Sighing, I continued. "This part - is hard for me to say, or believe. He said that Trowa was going to find some way to talk to me. Something about my lineage -" I broke off and looked directly at him.  
  
Wufei frowned at me. "...your lineage? What does that have to do with anything?"  
  
I rubbed wearily at my forehead. "I'll be damned if I know. Wufei ... you're going to think I'm crazy ... but I heard something tell me that Duo was in the bathroom when we were in the restaurant. That's why I got up and left the table. And there he was ... in the bathroom."  
  
The wind felt like it was blowing just a little bit harder now, right into our faces.  
  
Wufei looked puzzled. "... a voice? Probably someone whispered to you ...?"   
  
"Not possible. No one was sitting around us - you saw that. I thought that someone had left a transmitter in one of the plants around our table, but I checked. No transmitter."  
  
Wufei snorted. "He always eats at the same table."  
  
"What are you saying?" It was getting colder. I zipped up the sweatshirt and leaned on the railing, peering at him through the gloom. He looked like a white blur standing next to me.  
  
"A transmitter could have been placed by anyone, especially if Duo was working there."  
  
"No." I shook my head, vehement. "It wasn't Duo. He was supposed to be in the San Carlo; it was only at the last minute that he came over to the restaurant. He didn't know anything about someone telling me to go into the ladies' room, either. I thought it was Trowa - but it couldn't have been Trowa, because Duo told me Trowa was in France."  
  
Wufei gave me an odd look in the darkness. "Quatre?"  
  
"No. He wasn't there, either. Duo told me his sisters took him away - 'for his own good,' he said." I shrugged and sighed, looking at the sea. "I don't know where he is. Duo also told me that he and Heero do have Sandrock somewhere. They just don't have Quatre."  
  
"Mmmm." Wufei tilted his head, puzzled. "Perhaps it was the wine."  
  
I laughed, a very short, mirthless, laugh. "It was an excellent wine, Wufei, but that quantity doesn't normally make me hallucinate. It just makes me sleepy after a while."  
  
He opened his mouth to say something, and quickly closed it. Even in the semidarkness, I could see color rise from his neck through his cheeks.  
  
I blinked. Gods, he was blushing. What on earth ...?  
  
"I ... don't want to ... discuss it," he muttered. "Made no sense, anyway."  
  
Now I felt cold, and it wasn't from the wind cutting across the stern. I had to ask this carefully, and I made sure my tone was calm and neutral. "Wufei. Did you have a - dream - while we were at the opera?"   
  
That cold feeling permeated my chest while I waited for his answer.  
  
He hesitated, frowning a little. " ... It ... in ... part," he murmured, shifting.  
  
"Ah," I nodded, prodding gently. "Did it start at the restaurant ..." and I thought for a moment, "...after you had some wine?" And wouldn't that just explain his preoccupation during dinner, and walking to the opera house, and before we were seated, and ... oh gods, everything ...  
  
He shifted position again, looking really, REALLY guilty. "Yeah," he sighed, peering at his shoes.  
  
This was important. I was not about to scare him off, so I knew I had to continue with extreme caution. "Have you ever had wine in the past, Wufei? I noticed when we were on the ship today, you didn't have any alcohol in your drinks -"  
  
"No -"  
  
I blinked. "Never? You've never had alcohol? Not even with Duo?"  
  
He shook his head, frowning a little. "Why would I have it when I was with Duo?"  
  
"Ah ... well ... because ... " I looked at him a little helplessly. "I'd expect that ... eh ... Duo might have 'introduced' you to things like that-"  
  
A lofty look crossed his face. "Never," he said, raising his eyebrows.   
  
"Oh, I see." I bit my lip to keep from laughing, as the image of Duo seeing Wufei like that ... well. But a thought did cross my mind, though, that was a bit more sobering. "Wufei ... that - dream. Did it involve Treize?"  
  
The lofty expression ran off his face; now he looked as though he wanted to crawl under the deck and hide. "Yes," he murmured, his voice soft and low.   
  
I rubbed my head, which started to hurt again. At least he's answering questions, even though it's plain he'd rather not. And it felt as if this has something to do with something ... that I could just about remember. It was right at the edge of my memory, but it refused to come forward. Gads, it was SO frustrating ...  
  
I looked at him. "Wufei. I want to help you. This is just too - odd - to be a coincidence -"  
  
"...coincidence?"  
  
"Yes. Think about it. I said I wasn't feeling like myself lately. In fact, ever since a few nights ago - " I broke off, shuddering, rubbing my arms, not looking at him.  
  
We stood in silence for several minutes, both wrapped in our own thoughts. I took a deep breath. "And now, you have this ... hallucination, or dream, or whatever it was, that happened at the same time I had ... something else happen. It's just too strange." I looked at his face, into his eyes which looked like large, dark bruises. "What was your dream about?"  
  
He shifted again, looking like a thin, lost little boy, draped in white, projecting enormous guilt.  
  
"It ... it was ..."  
  
"Wufei. It's all right. Was it sexual?"  
  
Now he looked as though he wanted to run and hide. He nodded, not looking at me.  
  
"... it ... I don't ..."  
  
I made a conscious effort to project calm, nothing but calm for him. "That's okay. That's fine. That's what I thought. Can you tell me about it?"  
  
He stared at me, horrified, as if I had accused him of wanting it. "I don't ... WANT it ..."  
  
"I understand that, Wufei. But if you could tell me something about what happened ..."  
  
His eyes flicked back and forth as he shifted his weight again, looking like a cornered animal. "... I ... "  
  
I reached around and hugged him gently. "Wufei ... it's okay ..." He jumped almost straight up, he was so nervous and spooked. My arms dropped away but my gaze never wavered. His eyes were midnight black, fathomless, like the sky behind him. Pitching my voice low to project calm, I said, "Really. You can tell me. I'm not going to laugh, or gasp, or judge you. I'm your friend."   
  
He looked a little freaked that I hugged him, but his eyes looked less panicky. "But - but it's not ME, Sally -"  
  
"I believe you - I believe it isn't you -"  
  
"I'm not LIKE that -"  
  
"I know you're not," I soothed. "Just tell me what happened."  
  
"I don't WANT it from him! Why doesn't anyone GET that? I don't WANT that!" He was breathing faster, right in my face.  
  
My eyes widened a bit. "In your dream - was Treize trying to force you to do something you didn't want to do?"  
  
Wufei's face crumpled. "No. He - he didn't - have - to force anything ..." He stopped, his voice cracking a little, utter confusion and guilt plain in his eyes.  
  
"Was he doing something to you - something that you couldn't stop?"  
  
He shifted again, his gaze skittering away from mine. "It ... was ... kind of ... shared. It wasn't ME!" he snapped with heated intensity.  
  
"All right," I said, thinking out loud. "So - he was doing things - touching your arm, your face - and that gradually led into something else. Was he kissing you at the end?"  
  
"No..." His voice cracked again. "There was nothing gradual ABOUT it, Sally." Wufei slumped against the railing, looking defeated. "And no, he wasn't 'kissing' me at the end, either. What do you think happened? We're both adults here."  
  
He refused to look at me. I closed my eyes briefly.  
  
"Wufei. I wasn't trying to insult you. I - I had a dream at the opera, too. And at the end - right before Giovanni was dragged off to Hell - I saw Treize kissing you. Deeply - passionately - and right next to me." I shook my head, giving a helpless shrug. "Look. I told you it was too strange to be a coincidence ..."  
  
Wufei twitched a little. "I'd trade your daydreams anytime for mine," he said evenly. "I never - never - would enjoy - something like that. No matter what seemed to be presented in my mind." He took a shaky breath, leaning farther toward the sea, now all foaming whitecaps.   
  
"I am not homosexual!" he shouted to the angry water and sky.  
  
I stared at him. "I know that. You know that. So -"  
  
"I'm NOT! So explain -" And he stopped, flushed and angry, and stared at me.  
  
" - explain why you felt the way you did?" I finished for him.  
  
The sound of the sea filled the next few minutes as his expression collapsed in defeat and he stared at me, mute and completely miserable. "I'm - not - feeling that way now," he finally admitted, slumping against the rail, his head against his hands. "Just - in that - obscene - THING!"  
  
Something stirred in my memory, awakening from a long sleep. I heard a vaguely familiar voice: 'I have never failed to arouse the desire of someone I wanted.'  
  
I blinked, breathing faster. Gods, that was Treize's voice - and he had been speaking to me - but where, and when? I didn't remember that conversation, not completely. It felt as if my mind was plowing through molasses, pushing against invisible doors.  
  
"This ... isn't right, Wufei." I blinked, started slowly. "I think - I think you're more than a prisoner here ... and much more than just a pet." I turned my head, hoping he was listening to me. It was hard to tell; he was scowling bitterly at a mound of fake fishing nets and tackle, artfully stacked on one side of the deck.  
  
Staring at that heap of nautical junk for a moment, I realized it was just put there as decoration. Why? Because all that rubbish was cemented in place so it wouldn't roll; it was even coated with some kind of plastic glaze. That bastard probably thought it was funny, too.   
  
"I don't know what the hell I am. I - I have been horrified today. Disgusted at the obscenities my own mind can concoct." Wufei's shoulders shook. Visibly, he straightened his back and folded his arms, his chest heaving, looking at the sea.  
  
I sighed. He was blaming himself again.  
  
"No, Wufei, you don't understand. You - you are - a project." And where that word came from, I had no idea - but I knew I had heard it before, and I knew it was right. "These are - these are suggestions being given to you - and I don't know why it's happening, but it is. Wufei - Wufei! Why would I have the same type of dream that you did at the same time? Why? It's the only thing that makes sense!"  
  
"We didn't have the same dream." Weariness threaded through his voice and sagged into his back. I knew he wasn't paying attention to what I said. "Yours ended with him kissing me. Mine ended with him ... well." He still faced the sea, and his words were almost swept away from me by the wind. "'Sodding,' is what I think Duo would have said. He does have a way with words."  
  
I walked over and stood in front of him, dragging his arms away from his chest and yanked his head over to my level so he had to look at me. "Wufei. It was the SAME dream, with the SAME subject matter, and the SAME people in it. We had the SAME dream. Period."  
  
He didn't say anything, but he didn't look away from me, either. The poor boy was flushed with embarrassment.   
  
I plunged on. "And I have been feeling exactly - that - weird, I suppose - ever since I've been with Treize ..." I stopped and swallowed, looking at him. Now I was the one who was breathing faster, feeling strange.  
  
"You almost act like you sold out."  
  
"When did I act that way? Was it today?"  
  
Wufei frowned, then nodded. "Yes. Most of the day."  
  
I sighed. "Please - please listen to me, Wufei. I haven't really been right - not since that night you found me in the library."  
  
He frowned again, looking at me closely. "Why not?"  
  
"I - something happened to me that night that I can't explain." It was definitely cold; wind swirled and blew around the deck, whipping my pants around my ankles. "You said that you had been looking for me for hours, remember?"  
  
"Yes." Wufei nodded, his expression serious. Apparently, that really shook him up.  
  
"But I was there, in the library, that entire time. When I walked into the room, the door was unlocked. Unlocked, Wufei; I did not break into that room, nor did I lock myself in it."  
  
"Of course not. It's always unlocked. But you had to lock it - no one else was there."  
  
"I did NOT, Wufei. I did not lock that door-"  
  
"Then who did?"  
  
I took a deep breath, and then plunged. "I was talking to Treize most of the time I was there. Sitting in the library. I was sitting in the chair next to the windows." I felt the blood rush away from my face as I continued. "He told me - he started the conversation by telling me that you had asked him to preserve my life. I thought for sure he was going to kill me ..."  
  
Wufei was staring at me. Something about his look made me think he was considering whether or not I had gone completely insane.  
  
Tightening my lips, I looked right at him. "Wufei. I wasn't sure if I should tell you or not. I didn't think you would believe me - but he told me this BEFORE you found me. Do you remember, I kept asking you what you had asked him for? Do you remember that?"  
  
"Yes, I remember," he acknowledged, nodding slowly. At least it put some doubt on the insane theory. "But Sally, Treize wasn't there. I saw him off."  
  
My voice dropped to a whisper. "He told me that he had agreed to - to keep me safe. To do this for you. And when he came back ... and I was in the bath ... what did he tell you?"  
  
" ... that ... he ... had decided I was right, and that it was necessary ... but he ... didn't say he was doing it for ME ..." Doubt crept into his tone; the way he said it let me know that while it wasn't explicitly said, Treize certainly hinted at it.  
  
"Oh, he's doing it for you, Wufei. For YOU. That's why he agreed to let me come here. For you." I swallowed as more of the conversation in the library came back to me. What library? Why, his library - remember, in his private library ... during a storm not unlike this ... "He said ... he said a great many things to me ..."  
  
Wufei frowned; his brow knit, his eyebrows drew together and he looked at me. Folding his arms across his chest he really looked at me, giving me a level stare as he analyzed every word I said.  
  
My mouth was dry as I continued to talk. "He basically said - he wants you, Wufei. And not just as a plaything. He wants to be the one to take - whatever innocence you have - and mold you into what he believes you should become. He ... he has this whole idea of who you are, and who you should be. Oh, and he has this - this PLAN -"  
  
I glanced at him. His expression was now a mixture of horror and disbelief; his eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open.   
  
"- that's supposed to help bring all this out of you."  
  
He was shaking his head from side to side as he took a step back. "Sally ... "  
  
I reached out and barely touched his arm. "No, Wufei, please - please, believe me. Didn't you tell me on more than one occasion that you felt as if you were being molded? Manipulated? Pushed, in some way, into something? Tweaked a little here, shoved a little there?"  
  
"I ... Sally, that ..." He pulled his arm back, looking like he believed me more than he wanted to believe me. "Sally ... that's INSANE. Completely INSANE."  
  
Helplessly, I shrugged and stared back at him. "I know," I said quietly. "But it's true. He told me he has a talent -"  
  
"NO one would think like that. It's just ludicrous. I'm ... gods. Why in the world would he even WANT to -"  
  
"LISTEN to me, Wufei," I said, fiercer than I intended. "You have to listen to me."  
  
He stopped speaking and looked right at me. Finally, I had his attention. Now I had to hope that I could do something with it.  
  
"Treize told me, Wufei, that he could override the natural tendencies of anyone, no matter who they were. That means that even if you don't want to do something, he can MAKE you want to do it." I looked right at Wufei. "Do you understand what that means?" Gods, I barely understood what that meant.  
  
He just stared with that face that kids at campfires get during ghost stories. I barely nodded at him. That was about my level of understanding, too. You really don't believe, not really; but you do enough to be spooked.  
  
"And he - he did something to me." My voice dropped until I felt like I was whispering again. I forced myself to look at Wufei. He was silent, waiting for me to continue.  
  
"He - he was speaking to me ... and suddenly, I realized that I couldn't look away from his eyes and that I couldn't move a single muscle. The only thing I could hear was the sound of his voice, and that was ... hypnotic. It was - awful - and exciting - at the same time." I took a shuddering breath, trying to gather my wits, to explain. "He ... touched me. And then he kissed me - and when that happened -" My face was burning and I couldn't look at Wufei any longer, but I forced myself to continue, "- it was like the world exploded. I - I had the most intense orgasm in my entire life."  
  
After I said that, I did glance over at Wufei. Even though he appeared stoic enough to stand there and endure even this embarrassment, I knew he would prefer to jump into the sea and swim back to the island. It was obvious that he didn't want to know intimate details like that about me. At all. It was written all over his face. I sighed. Well ... live and learn.   
  
"Um ... well. Right after that, I woke up, cold, wet and shivering on the floor of the library. I looked - I thought Treize was there, but ..." I shrugged, shaking my head. "The windows had blown open and it was raining ... and you were pounding on the library door, because it was locked. I - I was really stiff. I didn't know what happened, Wufei, I didn't. That door was locked, but I swear, I didn't lock it."   
  
Wufei looked shaken, and his face was flushed. "It ... it's ... just ... It wasn't REAL. It couldn't have been REAL."  
  
Exhausted, I rolled my head from side to side, loosening my neck muscles. "Look, Wufei, I know. I know. I've been over all this in my mind, too. But my entire body was shaking, and - and - I have no other explanation, other than what I remember. How else would I have known that you had asked to preserve my life? He was very specific about that, too -"  
  
"I don't KNOW!"  
  
" - he said, 'He has been with me long enough now to know better than to use sloppy semantics. This was carefully worded.'"  
  
"Even assuming this was even CLOSE to being real -"  
  
" ... yes? ..."  
  
" - that doesn't explain anything. He let the others go, and he kept me. ME! The one he knew was worthless!"  
  
I sighed. "No. We've been over this before. He found the others boring. He craves your mind, Wufei. You need to accept this, and accept it quickly. Simply because you find no worth in yourself doesn't mean HE doesn't find worth in you."  
  
Wufei's face twisted for a moment. "Then he's an idiot."  
  
I shrugged. "So, he's an idiot. So what? The fact remains that he wants you. Duo has an interesting take on this. He could tell right away that Treize wanted you just by the way he spoke to you."  
  
"Wha - what?" Wufei stammered, blinking.  
  
"Wufei, you can feel it. There's something around here that's not quite right. I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't feel all the way right. I don't know how else to describe it. Maybe ... evil? I don't know.   
  
"I wasn't myself today; you said so yourself. The longer I'm here, the less I feel like myself. I know, it, too, but I can't seem to do anything about it." I shook my head, frustrated. "I felt more like myself when I was with that horrid Duke Dermail and the rest of those nasty, twisted people from OZ. But I'll tell you, Wufei, I was angry at Treize. I was furious - he just dumped me in the middle of those people."  
  
"He can't be what you say he is." Wufei was using his Rationalizing Voice if I'd ever heard it.  
  
"Why not?" I hadn't really proclaimed Treize was anything, mind, but I was anxious to hear why he couldn't be what I hadn't said he couldn't be.  
  
"Because his blood relatives are human. Therefore, he is human, too."  
  
"Ah ... Wufei ..." I started, incredulous  
  
"He IS human," Wufei interrupted, "he bleeds like one. I've cut him. Other 'things' don't bleed."  
  
What on earth did he mean, 'other things don't bleed?' That was one of the most ridiculous things I'd ever heard. There are no ghosts, or supernatural things - but if he needs to believe that - hm ...  
  
"Well, he could be possessed," I pointed out, a bit caustic.  
  
Wufei snorted, but couldn't answer me.  
  
"Plus, how many 'other things' have you seen?" I asked, looking at him with a skeptical eye.  
  
"...... none." He looked positively pouty when he had to admit that. "But I'm sure you haven't seen them, either. You're the one who told me my wife wasn't in my gundam, remember?"  
  
Feh. "Yes, I know that. And I'm certainly the first person to look for the rational explanation. But in the absence of any other type of explanation, I have to go with the one that presents itself."  
  
Wufei snorted again. "I'd believe brain washing before this. It cannot be. It's impossible."  
  
I didn't blame him for not believing me, but it didn't make things any easier for either one of us. "Wufei. I can't argue with you anymore. I can only tell you what happened to me, and what I've seen happen to you."  
  
"And all of it has a rational explanation," Wufei said, looking stoic and grim. "I will ask him. Tonight."  
  
We stared at each other as the wind howled around us.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I spoke first. My mouth was completely dry. "Wufei. If you do that ... I don't know what will happen. Do you believe he will tell you the truth?"  
  
Wufei thought for a moment, gazing down at the deck. He glanced up at me, his look serious and intense. "Yes. If I phrase it correctly. Of course, he'll probably be disappointed I didn't figure it out, assuming ANY of this is real at all."  
  
"Oh," I said weakly. Disappointed? What? I could NOT believe he was actually considering asking Treize whether or not he was human. "What if - what if - you find out that he IS some type of possessed demon, or something? Can you fight that?"  
  
Gleaming ebony eyes met mine in a gaze that was knowing and aware. "I can't fight him anyway - it's moot. And if he IS, and would rather kill me if I knew, then he won't get to use me. Confronting him is the best method."  
  
"Wonderful," I groaned. "What if he decides that he doesn't care if you know or not, and refuses to kill you? He'll have no compunction about killing ME, I can tell you that. I'm not the person he's interested in. In fact -" I stopped speaking and looked right at him. "Wufei. If he does try to do something to me, just to get you to agree to something else, you must promise me NOT to listen to him. Don't do it - don't listen to him."  
  
I waited for Wufei to give me some kind of response, but he said nothing at all. Complete silence fell between us; the only sounds were the creaks and groans from the timbers of the ship, the moans from the wind, and the sighs and splashes from the sea.   
  
" ... Wufei...?"  
  
He refused to look at me; instead, shaking his head slowly from side to side, he finally rested his forehead in his hands. "What have I done?"  
  
"What are you talking about? You've done nothing wrong. We're just in a situation with someone that we haven't seen how to deal with yet, that's all ..." Now I was baffled by his behavior.  
  
"Indeed," he said, heavy and tired. "And if he is any of the things you say, then I have delivered you to a demon." He rubbed his forehead again, groaning. "What have I DONE ... "  
  
"No, Wufei," I insisted. "It's better to know your enemy than to labor in ignorance - at least, that's what I think. I'd rather know my enemy, because then I'll know his weaknesses. Besides, I would have been dead if not for you. I was perfectly serious today. All those people on the ship wanted to see me dead, and told me so, to my face -"  
  
"You would have been safe," Wufei broke in, laughing bitterly. "Women die around me, especially strong ones. Didn't you KNOW that?"  
  
"I am NOT dead, nor do I intend on becoming dead anytime soon." I looked straight at him, trying to convince him. I had NO plans for that happening in the near or distant future.  
  
"You would have been better off if you were, if you're right," he said, bluntly honest as always.  
  
"Well, I don't think so."  
  
He looked at me closely. "Sally. If all this that you've said is correct, then you HAVE no purpose here except to manipulate me. You are in a dire position, and you would BE better off dead ... if you're right."  
  
"I ... know," I said, unhappy but unable to shake that odd, deja-vu feeling. "I feel that, sometimes ... but other times I feel ... odd. There's still something that I'm not ... quite ... remembering ..."  
  
"What?" Wufei asked, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Something else? Yet another tidbit? Wait, let me guess. He's not a demon. He's the Devil himself?"  
  
"Gods, Wufei, I don't know," I snapped, now out of sorts. "I'd tell you if I could remember, but ... I can't! And that's the point - I can't remember, and I don't have memory problems, don't you get it? Everything starts to go - well - fuzzy, for the lack of a better word ..."  
  
And now he isn't even looking at me - he's looking at the deck, deep in thought. I sighed, exasperated, and looked over his shoulder, hoping to find SOME inspiration somewhere, at least to help clarify this explanation a little more. Instead, I saw huge, ominous black thunderclouds standing out against an already dark sky, dropping to the horizon. Those whitecaps had turned to waves, surging against the ship, and that small storm had turned into a black squall.   
  
There was one hell of a storm bearing down on this ship.   
  
Had I been a superstitious person, I would think it had something to do with future events - things that were going to happen later tonight, given what Wufei and I were discussing. Oh, but I was scientific and rational, and to my mind there was no such thing as predestination or the supernatural or ...  
  
... or what was happening now. Gods.  
  
"I will go and see him now." Wufei nodded decisively. "There is no use in putting it off." He turned to go back to the ship and would have immediately walked to Treize's cabin, except that I pulled on his arm.  
  
"What - now? Wufei, please - we're out in the middle of the Mediterranean, and we have no idea how to defend ourselves against him - or -"  
  
Lightning split the sky above our heads; for a few seconds, eerie, bluish white light burned everything on deck. Half of Wufei's face was thrown into shadow, while the other half looked sunken and resolute; thunder rumbled, threatening, several seconds behind the lightning.  
  
"Defend? There is no defense, Sally. If anything you say is true, then we are caught in his game. Period. IF."  
  
I felt stubborn, and tired, and scowled at him. "Wufei, you can't deny it. Something is happening, that's for sure. But I still don't know if -"  
  
"No more of this. I will confront him." He cut me off, shaking his head and stared fixedly at me. "You will stay OUT of the way. I have endangered you enough."   
  
"What are you talking about? I'm going to help you -"  
  
"No - you STAY. OUT. OF. THE. WAY. " His gaze bore right into mine; he was uncompromising. "And get a gun, if you can. If you have to, you can use that as your way out."  
  
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. But then, I should have expected that from him; really, it was completely in character. I blinked once and looked at him. "Ah ... okay, Wufei. I will."  
  
"Good luck, Sally," he said, oddly formal, nodding to me. As I watched him walk toward the outer cabins, the ones with the doors that opened toward the sea, I found myself following several paces behind, trailing out of habit.  
  
I started to say, "I can -"  
  
He whirled around and hissed at me, genuinely angry. "No. Get inside!"  
  
I backed off, raising my hands, and went directly to the main cabin. Wufei watched me the entire way, and didn't move until he saw me go inside and close the door. Then he took off and walked down the corridor with the doors of the outer cabins.  
  
Toward Treize's cabin.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	24. Chapter 23

Tapestry - Chapter 23  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I remembered Wufei's trick of 'counting the doors,' and reasoned that the walls of the ship couldn't be that thick. I trotted quietly down the main corridor, listening to the left hand side of the hallway for Wufei's muffled voice, ready to stop at the room where I thought I heard it, and praying that room was empty when I came to it.  
  
Fortunately for me, it was. Une and her goons - who I'm now calling the 'Une-goons,' just because it amuses me - weren't around. The gods were with me, too, because THIS cabin was unoccupied.   
  
I hadn't even thought what I'd do if it wasn't. Throw out the goon like so much dirty laundry, perhaps? Fortunately, I didn't have to find out.  
  
Slipping into the room, I heard Wufei's tenor voice on the other side of the wall. It was coming through the vent - but I wasn't going to stand on my tiptoes the entire time I was in the room. A quick look around showed the wastepaper basket in the corner. Grabbing that, I closed the door, put the basket on its side on the bed, then stood on it and held on to the sides of the vent. NOW I could hear and see.   
  
Much, much better this way. Hopefully, I wouldn't fall.  
  
There was Wufei, standing in the open doorway, his ponytail blowing in the gusting wind, clothes flapping about his body.  
  
And ... gah. I couldn't see Treize, but I could sure hear him - which meant that he was right beneath me.  
  
Gods ... I'd better not breathe. He might hear me.  
  
"Something you need, Wufei?" And that came from right underneath me, meaning ... he's laying ON the bed - probably lounging, sprawled in that leonine way of his, watching Wufei.  
  
Wufei just stood there for a moment, as austere as I'd ever seen him. I realized he was probably gathering both his courage and his wits.  
  
"Yes." He walked in and closed the door. That cut off the wind, which was good - there were no more swirling, cold gusts whipping around the room. It didn't stop the howling, though. That continued, and seemed to intensify.  
  
In fact, the ship actually started to sway a little, to the point where I was getting nervous. My wastebasket-on-the-bed thing could be problematic if the ship really started to list from side to side. Glancing down, I bit my lip a little and told myself it wouldn't be too much longer. It looked all right.   
  
"What is it, Wufei?"  
  
Treize's voice brought me back to the problem of the moment. I pulled into the vent a little more and looked down at Wufei, my palms sweating a little.  
  
"I have something to ask you."  
  
"Indeed? Ask away. You know I will answer you to the best of my ability." Teasing slightly, Treize continued, "Saa, you look so SERIOUS, Wufei ..."  
  
"I am serious, because this IS serious. I ask that you be honest with me, Treize."  
  
"Of course, Wufei." Now Treize sounded serious, to match Wufei.  
  
Wufei paused again, looking down. The overhead light cast some weird shadows on his face; the top of his head and his hair were bright, but his eyes were in shadow, masking his expression.  
  
"Go on, Wufei." Soft and encouraging, Treize murmured, "I'm not going to bite."  
  
Without warning, a vision of Treize with fangs flashed through my mind, a vision coupled with a feeling of security, one that I normally associated with books, and libraries ... I shivered and renewed my grip on the grate of the air duct. My mouth was bone dry and my heart was beating loud enough that I swore Wufei could probably hear it.  
  
"There are strange things going on here."  
  
Treize chuckled very softly, which also put my teeth on edge and made every hair on the back of my neck stand up. "Indeed, Wufei?" he purred, with just the hint of a tease. "And what has been happening here that has you so agitated?"  
  
Lightning flashed through the porthole, illuminating Wufei's face with bluish white light. His eyes were wide, wider than they should be. I watched his chest rise and fall; that was the only indication that he was alive and not a sculpture, because otherwise he was perfectly composed, absolutely still.  
  
Something else happened as well; the air became charged and electric, thick with potential, and not from the lightning. I don't know how I knew, but I did - this situation had just became a spontaneous test for Wufei. And I couldn't move a muscle. I had been in bad situations before, but I had never been frozen in fear in my life. Now, however, I simply. Couldn't. Move.  
  
Wufei was speaking to Treize. I strained to hear.   
  
" ... things that should not be - and which I would not believe, were it not for the coincidence of shared experience ..."  
  
I stopped breathing altogether when he said that. 'Coincidence of shared experience.' Ohgods. Wufei told him. Now Treize knew I was involved for sure. Not like it was any big secret, but ... geez. I should be there, standing with Wufei, not stuck here on the air duct.  
  
A pleasant rumble came from directly underneath me. "'Shared experience,' Wufei? Meaning ...?"  
  
The blood had drained away from my head; it rapidly left my neck, shoulders, fingers, arms, and elbows, and pooled in my lower extremities, because - well - I had no stomach. That dropped away when I stopped breathing.   
  
His back to the door, Wufei's chin had gone up a bit as his eyelids dropped a fraction. Calmly, he replied, "Experiences - real or not - which would be of note even if not shared."  
  
Treize was silent; regarding Wufei, I assumed. My stance on the wastepaper basket was becoming more precarious by the moment, as the pitch and yaw of the ship became more pronounced. Praying that my fingers didn't start bleeding all over the sides of the vent or that I didn't slip and collapse in a noisy heap on top of the bed, I strained to see above the edge.  
  
Lightning sliced across the sky again, brightening the room through the porthole, a spotlight on Wufei's face. This time I saw that his gaze was locked on a spot beneath me, presumably right on Treize. Now it was obvious he was breathing faster, his chest was rising and falling more rapidly, and he was straining to stay calm. His voice was still soft, but was slightly higher:  
  
"What - what are you?"  
  
You know ... when someone you've come to trust with your life - someone you know is a sober, responsible, level headed, mature individual ... looks at another individual about whom you have grave doubts and says, 'What ARE you?' ... you tend to listen to the response.  
  
Treize's voice was just as soft as Wufei's, and was teasing - almost chiding. "Now, now, Wufei - discursiveness. Stick to your topic."  
  
Wufei swallowed, then frowned. "Whatever you are doing to us must stop."  
  
"Doing?" Treize purred.  
  
"Doing." Wufei spoke, his voice a little firmer and louder. "Do NOT lie to me!"  
  
"Tempeeeer ..." Treize murmured, soft.  
  
"There is no ... it is ludicrous for you to lie to me."  
  
"Is it?"  
  
And now my feet were dancing in midair because I was dangling from the vent, clinging by the strength of my thumbs and fingers. My perfidious wastepaper basket had rolled to the opposite side of the bed, ignoring my need, deciding instead to heed the call of physics and to move with the force of the ship, following the pitch and yaw of the past several minutes.  
  
I looked at the ceiling and closed my eyes briefly, thinking there were definitely times when it sucked to be me.  
  
My fingers were losing their grip. Strong as they were, there was no way they were able to support my weight for any length of time. I dropped down quietly to the bed, crouching there for a moment or two, massaging my arms, then retrieved the basket. As I put it back into position, Wufei started to speak again.  
  
"It is. You say you intend to keep me - then you say you intend to let me go."  
  
I stuck my foot on the wastepaper basket, willing it not to move, and pulled myself up to the vent again. My hands were shaking, but it didn't make any difference; as long as I could brace myself and see Wufei, that's all that mattered.  
  
"You say you value Sally because she represents freedom - and yet you alter who she is. You alter her very THOUGHTS! How is that freedom?"  
  
"Mmmmmmmmm. Go on."  
  
Okay, now I thought my knees were going to give out. Treize sounded so - so pleased with what Wufei said. Honestly, Treize just purred the last thing he said; had Wufei been doing a striptease, his reaction would have probably been the same.  
  
Wufei was thrown off by his response; it didn't make sense to him, and he was confused. As I peered out, trying to give him some kind of nonverbal encouragement, I heard what I thought was pounding in the corridor along with some hoarse shouting.  
  
"Down here, you idiots! Search everywhere!"  
  
Damn. Instinctively, I let go of the vent and dropped onto the bed with a minimum of noise, scooping the basket into my arms. In one smooth motion, I was off the bed, had straightened the blanket and was behind the door, looking for some kind of weapon - just in case.  
  
Very unsubtle stomping made its way up the corridor, obviously ignoring that bald order to 'search everywhere.' I shrugged, grinning to myself. It was good that Une's efficiency didn't extend to her goons. Usually, I could count on that.  
  
Wufei's voice drifted over to me.   
  
"...Stop ... LOOKING at me like that ..."   
  
I swallowed and looked up at the vent.  
  
Treize's voice was a little sharper. "Wufei. Subject."  
  
Now Wufei raised his voice, something he hardly ever did anymore. "Not until you STOP -"  
  
Treize's voice cut through the bulkhead. "Wufei."  
  
I was ready to grab my basket and run for the vent when Une's voice sliced through my door. "Search the aft! Now! GO! GO! GO!"  
  
Plastered against the wall I waited, hoping to hear the sound of her boots clomping away. Gads ... they're searching for ... me? Or ...?  
  
"We have discussed this in the past." Treize's voice was low, almost stern.   
  
"I'm not playing your game anymore," Wufei replied, just as evenly. "Not unless I know what it is. I won't talk to YOU, since you seem to find it so important. Now answer my questions!"  
  
I glanced up at the vent and shuddered. This sounded like war.  
  
Gruff, angry voices rang out in the corridor on the other side of the door. Heavy booted feet pounded past; soldiers looking for something, following orders, clearing the hallway. It took several minutes for them to pass, but eventually, they did ... and silence was left in their wake.  
  
There was silence, as well, from the other side of the wall.  
  
"Wufei. There is no 'game.'" Treize's tone sounded slightly impatient. And ... disappointed. It reminded me of the day we left Luxembourg, when he was trying to figure out why Wufei was training so much.   
  
"Fuck you. Fuck THIS. Answer my questions, or I'm out."  
  
Silence. And this time, the silence was ... heavy. This ... could be bad.  
  
"Wufei ..." Treize did not sound amused at all.  
  
"Stop SLIPPING. ANSWER me."  
  
"WUFEI."  
  
Courage, Sally, courage. If he needs you, you can rip the grid off, go right through the duct and land on top of that nasty bastard. Be ready to do that. I grabbed the wastepaper basket, tossed it on the bed, and hauled myself up to the vent.  
  
Wufei looked sullen and pouty, almost - slouched. I frowned - gods, that's not normal for him at all.   
  
Treize sounded the exact opposite of amused. "Wufei. This has all been very amusing - but do you have a POINT? This crudity is hardly worthy of you."  
  
"Well, maybe I prefer it," Wufei snarled at Treize. He crossed his arms, the very picture of defiance. "What're you gonna do about it, huh?"  
  
My mouth dropped open. Oh geez, Wufei, you didn't just ASK that, did you? Tell me you didn't, not really ... Now I was poised to fly right though the vent. I braced myself on the basket and started unscrewing the grate from the wall, positioning myself so that I'd get the best push from the side of the vent and sail right through to the opposite side. Given optimal conditions, I was hoping to land right on Treize's head, my hands clutching his neck; the torque of my twisting body should be able to snap it like a chicken's.  
  
In a perfect world, of course.   
  
In a perfect world, that nasty voice inside my head informed me, you'd be small enought to FIT through the vent.   
  
I ground my teeth. Just shut up, please. If he needs me, I will damn well MAKE myself FIT through the fucking vent.  
  
Gods.   
  
"And what do you WANT me to do about it, Wufei? Coddle you? Send you home? Send you to stand in the corner, perhaps, to go with the way you seem to be acting?"  
  
"Maybe. You've done it BEFORE."  
  
Treize tilted his head to one side, regarding him with fresh interest. "Have I."  
  
Wufei stared back at him, very challenging. "Yes. You HAVE. So maybe I want you to do that for ME. Maybe that's my game."  
  
"Maybe," Treize said, very soft, "... maybe you are trying just a little too hard."  
  
"Screw this. I'm leaving."  
  
Wufei turned to leave, but between one breath and the next, there was a blur in the darkness. Treize, naked from the waist up, had shoved Wufei roughly against the wall of the cabin, was holding him there and was looking at him closely, eye to eye, inspecting him.  
  
There was no way I could have prevented that, either; I didn't even see it happen. Now the only thing I could do was watch what was going to happen and hope that Wufei wasn't going to get hurt. Slumping, I felt ... strangely useless. Defeated; and I couldn't even say why.   
  
Wufei stared back at Treize, defiant for about two seconds; then he dropped his gaze. A flash of lightning bathed everything in unearthly, blue-white light. Treize looked completely vindicated and oh, so, so smug.  
  
"Indeed," he murmured, tilting his head, looking at Wufei. "That was a very good try, Wufei. You know ... you almost fooled me."  
  
Wufei looked up sharply.  
  
"Almost." Treize released him and stepped back, folded his arms across his chest and watched him, one eyebrow raised.  
  
Wufei, on the other hand, stayed in that position against the wall, looking sullen and caught. However, the expression on his face was familiar to me - it was Wufei's sullen expression, not - not Duo's.  
  
Duo's?  
  
"An admirable attempt. Your acting skills have grown." Treize smiled down at him like a great cat. "Since we're being open and honest."  
  
"Open. Honest. So ... what? You're going to tell me what you are?" Wufei scowled, not quite looking at him.  
  
It had finally dawned on me what Wufei had been doing. He had tried to make himself as unpalatable to Treize as possible - and who was unappealing, in Treize's mind? Why, Duo was. And who was Wufei imitating? Why ... Duo. And it had almost worked. Damn, damn, damn ...  
  
I looked at Wufei in open admiration. Wow. He was brilliant. That ploy had been absolutely ... brilliant.  
  
"You almost fooled me."  
  
"I thought you liked a challenge," Wufei replied bitterly.  
  
"A challenge, yes. But not one that disgusts me."  
  
"WHY does he disgust you?"   
  
"For more reasons that you can understand. To be honest, I am surprised you were able to pull it off as well as you did."  
  
"That's not an answer," he snapped, glaring at Treize.  
  
"You don't deserve one."   
  
Treize reached out for Wufei's face. Wufei, however, flinched back from his touch, crouching against the wall, and looked ready to bite.  
  
"Oh, don't be such a child." Catching Wufei's chin, Treize tilted his face up and studied it. Wufei gave him an absolutely raucous look, all but baring his teeth at him. Treize still held his chin in his hand; I only saw his profile, but from that angle he looked mildly miffed when Wufei decided enough was enough. Wufei knocked Treize's arm away, hard, and glared at him.  
  
"I am, Wufei, the opposite of your repulsive friend Duo."  
  
"He is NOT repulsive!" Wufei snapped immediately, surging toward Treize.  
  
"If there is anything about you that I dislike, Wufei, it is that loyalty to one who is SO far inferior to you. Why do you even bother?" Treize delivered that little speech harshly, as if his actions were extremely disappointing.  
  
I was so angry I found myself shaking.  
  
"Then you speak from a position of knowing nothing," Wufei said, his voice low.  
  
The room was silent for a moment; then Treize started laughing, REALLY laughing, leaning against the wall for support. Wufei stared at him. So did I. This was yet another time when our lives turned from the bizarre into the surreal.  
  
"Oh, good gods, Wufei ..." he chuckled when he finally caught his breath enough to speak, shaking his head. "You are SUCH a handful ..."  
  
Wufei still scowled at him, but was clearly puzzled. I just stared from the vent and had NO idea what the hell was going on.   
  
Treize straightened up and put his hands on his hips, shaking his head at Wufei. "There are times, Wufei, when you DO make me wonder why I am doing all this."  
  
Wufei just stared at him. " ... eh .... ?"  
  
"Saa ...." Treize brushed Wufei's cheek with the back of his hand, smiling. Wufei's eyes widened, but he didn't pull away. "You don't want to know what I am, Wufei. I do believe it could break your mind. Now, we've discussed this long enough. Out you go. Come along, now ..."  
  
"Wh ... what? Wait ... what ...?"  
  
Treize took Wufei's arm and propelled him out the door, but not before turning around to the back of the room and winking at me in the air vent.  
  
I froze. That was - impossible. I didn't just see that happen.  
  
"Come now, Wufei. Don't fight."  
  
"But - what the hell did you MEAN -"  
  
- and Treize shut the door.  
  
There was no way in the world I was going to find out if that wink was for real or not. I pushed myself away from the vent and was off the bed in half a second if not less. One long leap, and I was out the door, closing it behind me.  
  
Several seconds later, I was down the corridor and in my own room. Once I was finally behind the door, I leaned my forehead on it and started to relax, breathe a little easier. I was alone. Or so I thought.  
  
Suddenly, for one hysterical moment, it felt as though Treize was behind me. I whirled around - but he wasn't there. Gods, I must have imagined it. My brain's gone haywire. That's what's wrong with me.   
  
I took my dress from the bed and smoothed it across the dresser. Then I collapsed on the bed, throwing one arm across my eyes, hoping to catch a few moments of rest.  
  
Soft knocking on my door that wouldn't stop woke me. I groaned and looked at the small clock next to the bed. It had been four minutes since I closed my eyes.  
  
I slithered out of bed and answered the door. "Hi, Wufei."  
  
He looked lost and helpless. "I have no idea what happened."  
  
"Come on in." I opened the door all the way, inviting him into the cabin.  
  
His expression was as close to asking for help as I had ever seen. "Here, sit down on the bed." I sat and patted the spot next to me, taking his hand to guide him. "You're freezing, Wufei."  
  
He sank down next to me, not noticing my touch at all. I was shocked - that showed how much he had been affected by Treize. "I - I don't know what just HAPPENED," he said, completely at a loss.   
  
I sighed. "We'll figure it out, Wufei," I said, rubbing his hand.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	25. Chapter 24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tapestry - Chapter 24  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
We sat next to each other on my bed. Neither one of us knew what to do.   
  
"I was in the room next to Treize, Wufei, listening through the vent. I only saw some of what went on, but ... I'm not really sure what happened. How are you? Are you all right?"  
  
Wufei turned toward me, giving me a sharp look. "You WERE?"  
  
I blinked, taken aback by his vehemence. "Well ... yes. I wanted to be there, in case you needed help."  
  
His expression darkened the longer he stared at me. "You shouldn't have been there listening. YOU should not have been there at ALL. What could you have done to help?"  
  
I looked back in complete surprise. "Wufei - I'm sorry, but I felt I needed to do something, and that was the best thing I could think of, so -"  
  
"So you put yourself in danger for no REASON? Woman, the next time I TELL you to go to your room, you DO IT! UNE is running around! She's insane! You could have been killed!"  
  
Confused and disconcerted, I blinked at him again and tried to explain. "But, Wufei, I was inside the room, and the door was closed. I mean, I could hear people out in the hallway, and they were looking for something - well, probably someone, I guess, but -"  
  
Whoops. Wrong thing to say. Now his eyes narrowed to slits and he attacked.   
  
"Dammit, woman, are you TRYING to die!?"  
  
Oh, gads, so that was it. Now I knew why he was digging into me and shying away from the original question.   
  
"No, no, Wufei, I'm not trying to die, and I didn't believe I was in danger, either. So - did seeing Treize help? And are you all right?"  
  
That stopped him in mid-tirade. He blinked at me and closed his mouth, looking confused at the change of subject.   
  
"What? Of ... of course I'm all right!" He looked more flustered by the moment.  
  
"Good." I nodded at him, projecting calm, calm, calm. "I was worried. And what do you think about him now?"  
  
His attitude became slightly sullen. "He's a bastard." He turned away from me, looking at the other side of the room.  
  
"Ah," I remarked dryly, "that's so descriptive. Wufei. Do you believe I imagined everything I told you before?"  
  
He bent his head at an angle and glanced back at me, not saying anything.  
  
"Oh," I murmured, looking away. "I see."  
  
"No, Sally. I don't believe you imagined everything. I ... saw ... something tonight that I can't explain. So don't ask. But I don't think it's what you feared."  
  
As I listening to him, I noticed he said 'you' instead of 'we.' A fine distinction, really - especially considering HE'D brought the non-human angle up in the first plade - but a distinction, after all. I shook my head and sighed.   
  
"But - if it's not what I thought - then what could it be?"  
  
"I don't know - but anything approaching what we were thinking would be ludicrous. He's ... Treize." Wufei gave an expressive shrug of his shoulders and grimaced. "He's just .. TREIZE."  
  
Rubbing my forehead, I sighed and said, "Right. Just ... Treize. That's quite enough, I suppose." Gods, it certainly was enough for me. Winking at me while I looked through vent? I didn't want to know. Really. I did NOT want to know.  
  
"Whatever he is, Sally, it's not for you to mess with."   
  
I looked up to see Wufei considering me thoughtfully. "What do you mean?" I frowned back, looking over at him.   
  
"I should never have brought you here to begin with - that was my own weakness and stupidity."   
  
"No, you don't understand, Wufei. Had you not done that, I would probably be dead by now. I prefer this to the alternative." I gave him a small smile, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Yes. You would," he said evenly, not returning my smile. In fact, he looked downright grim.   
  
I widened my eyes - good heavens, he thought death would have been a better alternative for me?! "Wufei. I - I'm sorry you think you made a mistake, but I don't - because it gives me a chance to keep fighting." I shrugged. "I hope."  
  
He sighed and closed his eyes. "Sally, I'm going to get you out of here. You shouldn't BE here. You should –"  
  
"WHAT are you doing out of your rooms?"  
  
Gads, what a horrid, strident voice. Wufei and I jumped together, turning toward the door at the same time.   
  
Une was framed in the doorway, glaring, her military uniform buttoned tightly at her neck and her arms folded across her chest, malevolence surging from her in waves. She was not happy in the least.  
  
"Ah. Lady Une." I drew myself up, still sitting on the bed, my back stiffening. I wasn't getting off the bed, though - if she thought I was going to stand for her, she was sadly mistaken. Une's special brand of intimidation did not impress me in the least; my body language probably showed my dislike. Well, too bad. "I wasn't aware that we needed to stay in our rooms. No one ordered us to do so, or locked us in ..."  
  
"You are NOT free to roam this ship at will, Ms. Po," Une responded sharply, frowning as if I had spoken out of turn. "You are both military prisoners, and will please remember to ACT as such – or else we will be forced to remind you."  
  
"We? Forgive me, Lady Une," I continued, consciously making my voice soft and insistant, "but again, I don't recall Treize saying that Wufei and I could not visit each other –"  
  
Her eyes narrowing in suspicion, Une broke in. "Visit? Doing what, may I ask?"  
  
"—and had he requested that we stay in our rooms, we would, of course, have complied." Insinuating that while Treize's request would have been honored, hers was quite beneath my notice.  
  
"This is NOT a party," Une snapped peevishly, completely aware of what I was doing and quite satisfactorily angry. "I think I will have to separate you two."  
  
Wufei glowered at Une, gripping the bedspread in one hand. He crushed the material as if throttling her. My gaze went from Wufei's hands to Une's throat. I looked at her and smiled faintly. She scowled at me. I widened my smile.   
  
"If you feel that's necessary for your piece of mind, Lady Une, then by all means, separate us. However," I said, my voice soft and dripping with thinly veiled sarcasm, "we were not planning to take over the ship, if that's what you feared."  
  
"I hardly think debauchery of any kind would be permitted, Ms. Po," Une snarled, giving me an absolutely degrading look. Turning her gaze on Wufei, she commanded, "Wufei. Come out of there. Now."  
  
Ignoring her last taunt, I looked at him and murmured, "Wufei – I'm sure we can continue our conversation later, if you'd like." I gave him a reassuring smile and shook my head, warning him not to react.  
  
He nodded once, glared at Une, stood, and walked slowly toward the door. The air was tense and suffocating; Wufei's taut muscles begged to spring into action. Only his unspoken promise to me kept him from assaulting Une.   
  
Frankly, I didn't care what happened to Une. But if something did happen that involved either Wufei or me, we'd have to explain that to Treize. Right now that didn't seem to be a terribly attractive idea.  
  
Lady Une stared at me like a basilisk. Bet she wishes she was a basilisk, too, I thought, staring back. She'd love to have an excuse to kill me. She wouldn't care about explaining that to her precious Treize-sama.   
  
"I'll see you later, Wufei," I said in an undertone, ignoring Une completely.  
  
Wufei nodded and ground his teeth audibly as he passed her. Unfortunately, the career soldier in Une saw something in his manner that did not quite fit her idea of how a prisoner should act, and she made a significant error –   
  
– she slapped him across the face, shouting, "Show RESPECT, prisoner!"  
  
For one moment, Wufei was completely and utterly still. His head had been snapped to one side by Une's hand and a red blotch spread across his opposite cheek. It didn't even appear that he was breathing.   
  
I gasped and immediately leaped toward Une, trying to prevent the inevitable explosion.  
  
His arms a blur, Wufei suddenly grabbed Une from the doorway, threw her into the wall next to the door and pinned her there, lifting her slightly off the floor, his hands fisted in her shirt. His face contorted in rage, he shoved it inches away from hers and shouted, "DO – NOT – HIT – ME!"   
  
Being a soldier, Une automatically reached for her gun; and being someone with reactions and reflexes twice as fast as hers, Wufei saw her move, grabbed her wrist and slammed it into the wall next to her head, hard enough to break her bones. The gun clattered to the floor, forgotten, as a prolonged crunching noise and Une's sharp inhalation confirmed her broken wrist. To her credit, though, she didn't flinch – she simply panted and glared her hatred at Wufei.  
  
Unnoticed, I bent and quickly snatched the gun from the floor, stowing it in the waistband of my pants, next to the small of my back. Pulling my sweatshirt over the gun, I walked next to Wufei, looking at him as he held Une against the wall. His face was inches away from hers, and he was breathing deeply and slowly, staring at her. He's deciding whether or not it's worth the effort and trouble to kill her, I realized.  
  
"It's up to you, Wufei," I said quietly, narrowing my eyes as I looked at Une. "But think … is she worth the trouble?"  
  
Wufei bared his teeth, appearing feral as he hissed at Une. "She has killed thousands."  
  
"So have you." Une's voice was unsteady and wavering when she finally spoke; her eyes, though, were eyes narrowed behind cold wire glasses, and her face was pasty white. "Are you going to take out both of us?"  
  
Wufei's eyes widened momentarily as he stared at her. .  
  
"Who exactly are you talking about, Lady?" I asked  
  
"Me … and the boy here." Une regarded me with a twisted smile. "Not that you're innocent, but you hardly care."  
  
Wufei shoved away from Une very abruptly, as if he had been burned, his eyes wide and staring.  
  
"Strange," I said, leaning on the doorway. "I don't remember Wufei relishing his work as much as you do, Lady."  
  
"It hardly matters," Une snapped, watching Wufei as she tugged her jacket back into place with her good hand, "does it, boy?"   
  
She wasn't fooling me, though. She looked pale as hell.   
  
I raised my eyebrow at her. "Why, in fact it does make a difference, Lady, in which of you has actually kept their humanity. In that respect, you and OZ are well suited for each other. Both automotons - hardly human at all."  
  
Wufei closed his eyes for a moment, then turned on his heel and marched out of the room, looking shaken.  
  
"Indeed," Une said, staring at me, "and you and the failed resistance are most certainly suited as well." She raised her chin and tried to sail by me, projecting anger and rightious indignation.  
  
But I leaned across the doorway and barred her way with my arm, forcing Une to stop and look at me. I smiled over at her, poisonously pleasant.   
  
"You're right, of course – the resistance has always represented the people. And a piece of advice, Lady Une? If I were you … I'd think twice before manhandling either Wufei or me again." Une's eyes were cold and blue, but mine felt like chips of cobalt ice. "I don't believe Treize would appreciate it – do you?"  
  
When she heard that, her expression hovered somewhere between horrified and furious. It was fascinating. I didn't have to do anything but smile sweetly at her and tilt my head in an approximation of a charming manner, silently daring her to contradict me.   
  
The muscles along her jawline tightened; her jaw rocked a little, but she said absolutely nothing. She did, however, drive her elbow into my ribs, shove me to the other side of the doorway hard enough to knock the breath out of me and hiss, "WE shall SEE, Sally Po. We shall see." The last I saw of Une, she gave me a look of burning, absolute hatred, whirled around and marched down the corridor, her back stiff and straight as a ramrod, trying not to grab at her injured arm.  
  
I painfully caught my breath, nodded my head, rubbed my shoulder where I landed against the doorframe and watched her strut away from me.  
  
"We WILL see, Une," I murmured to myself. "And things will happen much sooner than you could ever believe."  
  
I smiled a thin, tiny smile, rolled around the doorframe and gently pulled the door closed. My left hand automatically went to the small of my back, seeking a familiar weight, snug against the small of my back, somthing that had been missing for an awfully long time.  
  
Une's gun.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Strange what technology can do for you.  
  
Suddenly, I felt like some of the pressures and troubles of the past several days had been lifted from my shoulders - and all because of this small little mechanical appliance I felt pressing into my back.  
  
One practiced, fluid motion brought the snub nosed piece in front of me; a sharp flick of my wrist opened the barrel, exposing the chambers. I peered inside, poking with my fingers, smiling at what I found.  
  
Fully loaded. Always efficient, Une. How very kind of you.  
  
All thoughts of caution and carefully wrought plans vanished in the presence of the deadly potential lying dormant in the palm of my hand. Duo's words, Trowa's warning meant nothing – everything faded as I stared at the means to our salvation.   
  
I can kill him now. Right now. Immediately. My mind reeled at the thought. I could rid the world of OZ … cut off the serpent's head, and the body dies naturally. We would be free. No more threat. Wufei and I would be free.  
  
And that bastard's as human as I am, regardless of what I told Wufei. He's human, and he's going to die. Une's gun would kill him. That's irony, pure and simple.  
  
I flipped the chamber closed and held the gun out at arm's length and sighted along the barrel. It can work ... I know it can work. It has to work. We will be free.  
  
Tucking the revolver into the waistband of my pants, I pulled my sweatshirt down, opened the cabin door and glanced in both directions. Only the sounds of the sea and the storm echoed back at me - otherwise, the corridor was quite empty.  
  
I slipped out of the cabin, closed the door and moved stealthily down the hallway, keeping close to the shadows.  
  
I knew if I was going to do this, it had to be quickly and it had to be now. Moving on instinct, I slipped past the cabins, staying in the shadows on the port side of the ship and ducked under portholes to avoid detection.   
  
There was no time to let Wufei know what I was doing - plus, I didn't really want to tell him, anyway. If I told him, he would probabaly try to take the gun from me rather than let me shoot Treize myself. His reaction to what I did when he was with Treize was pretty telling. I knew what his reaction would be, even if I told him I was using a gundam against Treize. He'd want to tie me up and lock me in an underground bunker before he'd let me attack Treize.   
  
I padded over to the general's door and flattened myself against the bulkhead. Drawing the gun, careful to hold it muzzle up in my left hand as my right hand sought the doorknob, I took a deep breath and focused. Remember what you want to do, Sally. You want to kill him now, while you still can - and while you're still yourself.  
  
The doorknob turned freely in my hand. Taking one long, deep breath, I turned the knob, pivoted, kicking the door open and leaped into the room. Landing in a defensive crouch with my arms fully extended, I scanned the entire room as quickly as I could.  
  
No one was there. It was empty.   
  
There was no sign that anyone had even been in it. The bed was made; there wasn't a wrinkle to be seen on the comforter; there were no personal effects on the dresser; and it appeared that even the attached bathroom had not been touched. There was a faint odor of something in the room – something pleasant, to be sure, but not something immediately identifiable.   
  
I was positive this was the room; blinking, I stowed the gun and squinted up at the transom over the bed. This was it, I was sure of it … he had been laying here, right underneath this vent, I knew it …  
  
Sighing, I stepped out on deck, closed the door and turned toward the bow. Fine, then - I'll just have to find him. Irritating, but necessary.   
  
But why would he have left his room? my strange little voice asked. That voice was just as irritating as Treize at times. Une said he was sleeping, it continued, and the last time you saw him he wasn't even wearing a shirt. Now suddenly he's out of his room. Why?  
  
Nervousness at what I intended to do was slowly pushing itself through my usual mask of unruffled calm. You're planning to assassinate the leader of the world, you know, my voice said, as if things weren't bad enough. Do you know what that means? If you succeed, are you aware of the consequences of your act-  
  
SHUT UP!   
  
But ... what if Treize left because he knew you were hunting him, and wanted to get an advantage ...  
  
Gods, I don't WANT to listen to you any more! Just SHUT UP!  
  
And ... it did. I could hardly believe it, but there was silence - blessed silence - in my mind.   
  
Not for long, though. Now I was thinking about Treize leaving his room on purpose - was that really so far-fetched? My gaze roved across the deck, beyond the end of the cabins on my right and toward the partially covered bar near the bow of the ship. Gads, now I'm really imagining things. There's no need to do that – things are bad enough as they are. But the tempo of my heart picked up the closer I moved toward the bow. He couldn't know I was hunting him - could he ...?   
  
The cabins on my right side had stopped a while ago, replaced with a long multi-purpose room, complete with tables, chairs and an indoor bar. Small portholes marked the walls at regular intervals, enough to allow light to filter into room but not large enough to let anyone outside see inside.  
  
Large, frosted glass doors opened into the the room, halfway between the port and starboard sides of the ship. A wide, open staircase leading to the upper deck was next to the outdoor bar, also across from the room. No one was in sight on deck - and with the storm picking up strength, no one was likely to be, either. Gusts of wind buffeted me, pushing me as I crossed the open deck.   
  
I turned my head to look through the glass doors into the large antechamber, and saw Treize sitting next to an elegant, low table – alone. A perfectly shaped goblet of wine was at his fingertips as he sat in one of the room's overstuffed chairs, reading. The light from the table lamp threw soft shadows across his body, so that he seemed to be bathed in a soft, warm glow, shining with a gentle radiance.  
  
My breath caught in my throat. He was there, alone, and far enough away from the door that I would be able to shoot him without fear of retaliation. Perfect – it was perfect. The storm would cover any noise the gun made. I kept looking at him, and realized that he was perfect, too; his features were perfectly symmetrical; the light threw a soft focus on—  
  
Gods, what are you thinking? I shook my head roughly, forcing my thoughts away from anything not involved with killing that man. It was much too easy to be distracted and confused by him, much too easy. Focus – pay attention to the task at hand. All you have to do is shoot him – that's all – no talking, no looking, no nothing. Just shoot him.   
  
I pushed one of the frosted glass panels open with my one hand as I reached behind me with my other hand. I pushed my sweatshirt out of the way to expose the gun, then dropped my hand to my side and casually walked into the hall.   
  
Treize sighed softly, as if what he was reading disappointed him in some manner. He carefully closed his book, placed it on the table next to him and looked up at me under lowered eyebrows. He did not appear surprised at all; in fact, he seemed to be expecting me.  
  
"Ms. Po," Treize nodded, his gaze sharp and keen, his manner strangely formal. His blue eyes missed nothing at all.  
  
"Treize," I replied, stopping just inside the door. This is as close as I dare, I decided. The nervousness I had successfully squelched before was asserting itself again, making small, doubtful inroads into my resolve. What if …  
  
"Is it perhaps the weather that has made both of you so annoying today, Ms. Po?" Treize asked, regarding me with a weary air.   
  
"Not at all, Treize," I answered, unsmiling, staring at him without blinking. "That's simply the way we are –"  
  
And in one fluid motion, I reached behind me again, sank into a defensive stance, drew Une's weapon and pointed it at his chest, supporting and steadying it with my left hand.  
  
"—annoying."  
  
Treize continued to regard me from under hooded eyes; not only did he not seem surprised at the sudden turn of events, he made no move to protect himself at all.  
  
"What would you like, Ms. Po?" he asked acidly, staring right at me. "Would you like me to stand? To turn my back, perhaps?"  
  
Oh, gee, would you? cackled the snarky, irrepressible voice in my head.  
  
~You'll pay for that, my girl.~  
  
He stood up and moved to the side of the table with supple ease, his hands dropped lightly at his sides. If he was nervous, he gave absolutely no sign of it; instead, he stood in front of me calmly, unperturbed – almost as if he was offering himself, encouraging me to make my point.   
  
Oh, my. Are you kidding? He didn't have to ask twice.  
  
With a strained, cold smile, I sighted along the barrel to the center of his chest, murmured, "Goodbye, Treize," and tightened my finger on the trigger.  
  
At that instant a thunderous voice sounded in my head – a voice so loud it made me blink and stagger, the volume so great that it shot a lancing, stabbing pain into my psyche, as if an icepick had been plunged into my head:  
  
NO - !  
  
I gasped out loud, my usual composure completely shattered. I was so shocked that my hand jerked up and over to the right, so that the shot that would have hit Treize dead in the heart was misdirected to his shoulder. My head throbbing in agony. I could only blindly gape in dismay – where – where did that come from …? ..who ..?  
  
And suddenly it didn't matter at all, because Treize was on top of me, smothering me with his superior size and strength, moving so quickly that I could have sworn he had just vanished and reappeared. He pulled my right arm straight over my head so that the gun pointed at the ceiling and squeezed my hand, causing the weapon to drop harmlessly from my now numb fingers. At the same time his other hand clamped onto my left wrist, twisted my arm into the small of my back and pulled, pressing my body tight against his, crushing my breasts against his chest.   
  
That same movement forced my chin up so I had no choice but to look at him. His gaze bored into mine – and I gasped, my jaw clenched, suddenly frightened and fighting to maintain control. A coldness, calculated and deadly, shone back at me from his eyes, exactly as it had after the incident with the wolf at the Luxembourg estate. I stared, unable to look or pull away, apprehension and dread simmering under a cracked mask of forced calmness.   
  
There was something else there as well, something I was loathe to admit to myself, but something that I couldn't ignore. Part of me wanted him to mold every inch of his body to mine, pressing me back into blissful oblivion where I was surrounded by strong, masculine scents and feelings, gently drowning any choice I may have had in the force of his personality.  
  
His eyes changed expression as he sighed and looked deeply into mine. "Indeed," he said evenly, nodding. "I think you need to take a nap, Sally."  
  
I stared back at him helplessly. "Wha … what?" I stammered, staring up at him, unable to move even a muscle. I was lucky I was able to say anything at all.  
  
His expression shifted again, and unexpectedly my right hand was released. At the same time I felt his long fingers questing from the base of my skull to the nape of my neck – and abruptly something that felt like a snapping, electric jolt whipped through my body, with an intense feeling of concentrated pain that followed closely on its heels. I knew I cried out.  
  
The last thing I remember is the world turning black as my knees buckled and I felt myself slumping against Treize.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	26. Chapter 25

Tapestry, Chapter 25  
  
_________________________  
  
It was daytime, and it was warm.   
  
Light - sunlight, I guessed - pressed gently against my eyelids, encouraging me to open my eyes, pulling my tired psyche back toward full awareness. Staying absolutely still, I lifted my lids a scant millimeter and peered through the protective screen of my lashes, flicking my eyes back and forth.   
  
There were windows in front of me. Sunlight filtered through the gauzy, woven cloth hanging in front of the windows before it spilled on my face; and gods, it felt so good. It was warm; my muscles were torpid with the heat; and I didn't want to move at all. I wanted to burrow my head into the pillows and dive into back into sleep.  
  
I sighed; I felt thoroughly rested, but ... where was I? I was laying on my left side, and my room didn't have windows over there ... plus, I didn't remember that much about the preceding ... day? night? Wow. I didn't even know when it was. I should get up and figure that out.  
  
I rolled and pushed myself up to get out of bed -   
  
- and felt an immediate, stabbing, unrelenting pain course from the base of my skull, through my neck, across my shoulders and down my spine. I thought someone split my backbone open and then burned it with a welding torch. Tears ran unchecked down my cheeks as the agony screamed through my body, it was so awful. I crawled - literally crawled - back to my original position on the bed. After what felt like hours the pain finally subsided, ebbing in waves, leaving a huge, throbbing, bruised ache in its path.  
  
I was lying down, panting, understanding nothing except how wonderful it was not to have that kind of misery flay me unmercifully. When I could finally think coherently, I tried to remember - what did I do? Did I break my back? Fall out of a building? Get shot?  
  
An image of blue eyes burning into mine, cold and intense, swept across my mind. I cringed as the entire episode came back in full, stark, overwhelming detail.  
  
Oh gods. Now I remembered.  
  
No one shot me - I shot Treize. I tried to kill him. And I missed. He was right in front of me, and I MISSED.  
  
I groaned, not moving my head. I was such a moron.  
  
Then he was right on top of me, smothering me; and then he reached around and did something to my neck. Almost immediately, I felt this horrible, stripping pain, and I blacked out.   
  
Feh. No wonder I felt so bad.   
  
My eyes were open and staring. I didn't recognize the room. It was white, but not sterile-looking - it was that kind of white that gave color to the atmosphere, and made it glow.   
  
I didn't try to stand up - that would have been agonizing, not to mention unnecessarily stupid - but I did try to sit up. I clutched the edge of the bed until my knuckles turned white, slipped one leg over the side and shoved myself upright.  
  
Stars and lightning flashed in front of my eyes. Now I was sure I was going to die.  
  
Once I braced myself with my arms, I realized, gasping, that the pain was manageably better in this position. As it subsided, I took a few long, deep breaths and experimentally moved my arms - which was when I discovered I was wearing a full, rather thin, long sleeved white nightgown.  
  
Again.  
  
Embarrassment and consternation colored my face as I experienced yet another moment of deja vu, remembering when I awoke in Luxembourg. A few moments later, my suspicions were confirmed. Not only was I braless, but I was phoneless, too. I was wearing clean underwear, though, for which I silently cheered.   
  
Hooray.   
  
A thin, gray band encircled my right wrist. There was no visible clasp; it was one continuous fiber of steel. Cool to the touch, the metal was iridescent where the sunlight hit it, sending small rainbow prisms skittering across the bedspread.  
  
Weird. Very weird. I certainly didn't own anything that remotely resembled that thing, and even if I did, I wouldn't wear it. I shook my arm a little; it refused to slip over my wrist. Just ... bizarre.   
  
All that moving around left me limp and tired. And I haven't even been out of bed. Gods. No one needed to keep watch over me. I'd probably fall asleep climbing out the window. It was a sobering thought.  
  
I looked around the room. There was a low table across from the bed that was covered with a large bouquet of fresh roses. A small card was propped next to the vase with my name written in graceful script across the front.  
  
Breathing deeply - as much for courage to get off the bed as anything else - I carefully edged myself down, sliding on my right side then turning on my front, trying to keep my weight off my back muscles. It was painful, but I finally did it.   
  
Wincing as my bare feet padded across the tiles in the room, I walked over to the table, my nightgown puffing around my legs. The roses had the most lovely, delicate scent; I leaned down to smell one, cradling it between my fingers, then picked up the card.  
  
The message was written in an elegant hand.  
  
~Sally -   
  
Our sincerest condolences, and we hope you are feeling better! Please do stop by to see me sometime today, once you awaken. Don't hesitate to ask for anything you need.  
  
Sincerely, Treize~  
  
I blinked at it. Stared at it. Read it twice. Then put it back in its original position with exaggerated care and backed away from it, still staring.  
  
A warm breeze from the open window caressed my skin, tickling my legs under the hem of my nightgown and teased my hair away from my neck. Under normal circumstances, that would have been enough to loosen at least some of the tight muscles in my shoulders.  
  
Under normal circumstances, that is. Circumstances now were anything but normal, unless it was de rigeur to attempt to assassinate one's host and then have that person politely invite you to drop by and ... discuss it.  
  
I shuddered involuntarily.  
  
Gods, what was I thinking? That feeling of urgency I had at the time - the feeling that if I succeeded, I would have rid the world of much more than just Khushrenada, the man holding me prisoner. The entire edifice of OZ would have crumbled at my feet, freeing millions from involuntary enslavement and servitude. But there was something else - something else about Treize, something that stayed just out of reach of my memory, something that killing him would have done that my mind refused to let me examine.  
  
A slight metallic taste lingered in my mouth. Startled, I recognized the aftertaste as the residue left by powerful sedatives. I was drugged? Gods, I wouldn't be surprised ... no wonder I couldn't remember anything.  
  
I looked out to the sea, feeling tired and vulnerable. Well, I can't stay here forever and hide. What's done is done. Might as well take a shower and then go see him - get it over with.  
  
I turned from the view of the sea to the elegant dresser and closet, pulled clothes from the drawers and wardrobe, idly wondering what happened to the clothing I wore when I shot Treize.  
  
And, of course, what had happened to that cute little cellphone I had been carrying.   
  
Compromised ... everything's compromised now. I shuffled into the bathroom, automatically shedding my nightgown, depressed. Shaking my head, I slowly reached across the tub to turn on the shower, and noticed the bandage in the crook of my elbow. Frowning, I pulled the dressing off and inspected the skin underneath. There was a small healed puncture mark; small enough to where it could hardly be seen, but large enough that practiced eyes could tell that a shunt had been put there. And they were usually used for -  
  
"-an intravenous drip," I muttered. "So I was drugged..."  
  
There was a squat, compact machine tucked neatly into the corner of the bathroom, confirming my suspicions. Accessories for the machine, though - the drip bags, shunts, needles - weren't around. A quick inspection of the cabinets and drawers revealed little - there were no razors in this bathroom, nor were there any type of shavers, or scissors, or nail clippers, or tweezers - and even the shampoo bottles were very tiny.  
  
Someone was taking no chances. Apparently, Ms. Po was dangerous - again. I laughed a short, unpleasant laugh. Now, that was funny. I could hardly move, and I was dangerous. What a joke. At least there's not an armed guard posted in the bathroom.   
  
I stepped into the shower. Gads, everything I did was in slow motion. If it wasn't, that pain in my back certainly reminded me that it SHOULD be. The needles of water bit into my skin, shocking in their intensity. I let them drive across my face and into my scalp, allowing the water to beat my shoulders and back, hoping to dull the throbbing ache following my spine. But you know - an armed guard in the bathroom wasn't actually needed to keep me in line, was it? All it took was one, small, handwritten card, left next to a vase of roses.  
  
Gads, I was truly pathetic.  
  
I pushed myself out of the shower when it became plain that cleanliness wasn't the reason I was lingering in the spray. Exhorting myself not to put off the inevitable, I toweled dry and dressed in simple khaki shorts and a white cotton camp shirt, slipping everything over satin undergarments. And why did I have satin bras and underwear? I didn't want to think how the correct sized clothing came to be there. It - it was now something I expected, a compromise made, of sorts, terms of an unspoken agreement I had accepted. Treize gave me clothing, and I accepted his gift. Just a small compromise in the larger scheme of things.  
  
And no, I didn't ask what I gave in return. I was there. My presence wearing the clothing was certainly enough. At least, it was for me. I didn't want to know anything else right now.  
  
Hesitating for just a moment, I carefully reached for the hair dryer and brush and used both to dry my hair. If I'm going to die, I reasoned stubbornly, at least I'm going to be presentable.  
  
You're not going to die. He doesn't kill indiscriminately.  
  
I tilted my head, the brush halted in mid-stroke, bewildered. Blinking, I looked around the bathroom, finally gazing in the mirror.   
  
Did I hear something? Shaking my head - only my imagination again - I stared at myself, inspecting my appearance. Do I look calm enough? In control enough? Unruffled? Well ... however I look, this will have to do.   
  
I moved my head experimentally, watching for the telltale signs of pain and fear. Fine, then. If I hold my head this way, it's not as noticeable, and there's minimal pain. Good. Then that's what I'll do.   
  
"Can't put this off any longer," I told my reflection with a sigh. "Let's go ... and don't tilt your head like that. You'll hurt yourself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I shuffled through the hallway for a while, realizing that Treize had put me somewhere else in the mansion, somewhere I didn't know. The carpet was softer, the decor was a little different - but most of the rooms were empty. So was the hallway. That felt strange, to say the least.   
  
Soft music floated toward me from an open door on my left. That felt even stranger, as I hadn't heard that particular tune in years. I walked that way of my own accord, my curiosity pulling me in that direction.  
  
Memories flooded back to me, memories of my last year in medical school. Now I was laughing, leaning on Zemin, listening to a digitized version of the same song, talking about how the early twentieth century music was really the most romantic of any period. Just listening to the saxophone would tell any idiot that, we giggled to each other.  
  
When I looked again, I realized I was standing in the doorway of that other room, staring dreamily at Treize, a half smile on my face.   
  
And Treize was doing something that Zemin used to do all the time. He was sitting at a piano, leaning with one elbow on the lid, his other hand raised toward the score spread out in front of him, beating a small, invisible pattern to the rhythm of the piece.   
  
Natural sunlight highlighted his hair, and the planes of his face were thrown into gradual relief by the play of the light; shadows accentuated aristocratic cheekbones, shadows that deepened under his chin, near his throat. Long fingers reached for the edge of the page and turned it in time to the music, rustling the paper.  
  
My breath stopped for a moment; not only was Treize doing what Zemin used to do, his expression mirrored that rapt expression Zemin had when listening to music. I felt a bittersweet ache, a loneliness that wasn't supposed to be there settle around me as memories of our last days together slid through my mind.   
  
Now I just blinked, feeling tight, sad and alone, wondering why I had left him. Why, for some reason, I had felt compelled to take that medical commission that tore our lives apart. There had been a reason, and at the time it seemed reasonable - but for the life of me I couldn't remember what it was.  
  
"Why, good morning, Sally ..."  
  
Treize was looking right at me. My gaze met his in total shock. I stared at him mutely; in my haze of recollection, I had completely forgotten he was there.  
  
" ... do you feel well?"  
  
He stared back at me, calm, one arm resting on the piano. There was no sign of anger or acrimony; in fact, he seemed genuinely concerned.   
  
"I ... I ... feel well enough, thank you." I winced and stayed where I was, rooted in the doorway of the room. Getting close to him was NOT something I wanted to do - especially not now.  
  
He raised one eyebrow. "I do suspect, however, that you are very sore. You took quite a tumble when the ship lurched ... and I did drop you , but ...ah. Even I am human, ne?" Treize gave me a small smile, watching me carefully.  
  
I stared at him and blinked. Human. He's ... human. Of course he's human.... Then I frowned, thinking. "I .. I fell? I don't remember that -"  
  
"Well ... in a manner of speaking, you did." Treize gave me a significant look, his blue gaze boring into mine.  
  
My eyes widened and I breathed in a little faster; his double meaning was entirely clear. I didn't flinch away, though - I just lifted my chin and gazed at him.  
  
"After I... incapacitated you and removed your gun, I accidentally dropped you. The storm was very bad - and you're much heavier than you look. Quite strong, too, I imagine."  
  
"Oh." My gaze slid from him to the side of the piano as blood slowly washed from my neck into my face, turning my cheeks pink. I could feel them getting warm.   
  
Treize stood up, shaking his head slightly and gesturing to a large chair next to the piano. "I'm sorry, Sally - I've forgotten my manners. Please .. have a seat."  
  
I had been around Treize long enough to recognize a command that was thinly disguised as a polite request. Nodding, I walked stiffly across the room and sat down, keeping my back straight and my expression neutral. I gave a little puff of relief once I was able to sit down.   
  
Smiling slightly, Treize pulled the piano bench away from the piano and sat directly across from me, his knees almost touching mine. His expression was not angry or disapproving, but was slightly stern.  
  
But his expressions were mercurial. Now turning a gentle, self-deprecating smile at me, he murmured, "Ah - you must forgive my choice of music. My one and only fiancee ... preferred this strongly. I have kicked the habit of her, but not the music - ne?"  
  
Zemin's sunny smile swam before my mind's eye. Feeling totally disconcerted, I looked away from him, saying, "That's all right, Treize. I - I enjoy this music as well."  
  
There was a slight pause. "I hate to do this, Sally, but we need to have a little talk," he said, just as quietly. "Preferably before you join Wufei."  
  
Ah, yes, here it comes, I thought, bracing myself. I dragged my gaze back to his and forced myself to stare into his blue eyes. "I understand," I responded automatically, mustering my reserves of self-control.  
  
Treize nodded, watching me. One hand reached forward and gently held my left hand, more a reassuring motion than anything else. His expression was earnest as he spoke; for a moment, I felt something tugging at my emotions, willing me to believe every word he said.  
  
"Firstly, let me assure you that you are not in trouble."  
  
I stared at him as if he had lost his mind. I wanted to tear my hand away from his - but when I thought about it, just tensing my muscles caused him to tighten his grip.   
  
"I ... I don't understand," I whispered, barely audible. "I .. I tried to kill you ..."  
  
His eyes were nearly closed. He nodded, watching me through a screen of dark golden eyelashes.   
  
"Shh ... I know." His voice was soothing, sad and regretful. "I know. But from my perspective, you were merely being true to yourself. You had no choice, as your nature saw it - and I do not blame you." He nodded again and continued, his tone mild. "You simply never should have been allowed the gun. Une has been dealt with."  
  
That last sentence was delivered so casually and with such little emphasis that it was frightening. I stared at him, not quite believing what I heard. "The gun - belonged to Une? What happened to her?"  
  
His eyes held a hint of annoyance. "Hm? Oh, she's all right, Sally. She's in space at the moment, although I expect her back soon. And yes - the gun was hers." He stopped, watching for any reaction. "She overstepped her bounds; you and Wufei responded, to your credit; and she - left - her gun." A grim smile touched the corners of his mouth. "I suppose she was upset; however, it was not very codified behavior for someone of her rank. She has been dealt with." No more questions about Une. Case closed.  
  
I blinked and looked down. Long fingers still imprisoned my left hand; I fought with myself to leave it exactly where it was. "I ... I remember holding the gun," I said slowly, "but ... that's all I really remember."  
  
Treize looked at me in sympathy. "I suspect it was simply too long a day. Perhaps the wine, supper, and vodka beforehand affected you .. I do not know." His expression became more intense as he looked deeply into my eyes. "Sally, this is important. No one else knows that you shot me. I would like to keep it that way - for your sake."  
  
"For me?" I repeated blankly. Looking at him, openly questioning, I found the very last thing I expected in his eyes - forgiveness. It rocked me to the core, so much so that I could only blink and stammer, "I ... I ... all ... right ... if you want ... then ... I won't say anything to anyone." He forgives me - for shooting him? What?  
  
Treize's voice was gentle. "I think it would be best, Sally. This way, at least, no one will look at you with suspicion." He paused for a moment. "I have, however, taken one precaution."  
  
I felt weird - strange and lightheaded, as this conversation was rapidly moving into the surreal. One more thing certainly wouldn't make it any more outrageous than it already was. "A precaution? What precaution?"  
  
He gently lifted my left hand off my lap, thumbing the plain gray band across my wrist. "This, Sally."  
  
I frowned at it, then at him, not understanding. "I saw that - but what is it?"  
  
Treize my held my gaze. "It's a deterrent device. Your medical background makes you familiar with these, I'm sure. If you pick up a projectile weapon ... I think you'll find the result most unpleasant."  
  
My eyes widened. "This - I remember these. Prisoners at the hospital had them." Dawning horror grew, causing my breath to quicken as nasty unstated implications became clear. "It - this is keyed to me - and can only be removed when it's deactivated. Otherwise ..." I trailed off and looked at him, hoping my expression didn't show my dismay, and tried unobtrusively to again disengage my wrist from his grip.  
  
That thing was also a tracking device. Not only would I never be able to use a projectile weapon, but I'd never be able to run anywhere without him knowing where I was.  
  
He gave my captured hand a gentle squeeze but didn't let go. "Forgive me, Sally, but I felt ... personally ... the need to do SOMETHING. I did not relish the idea of being shot in my sleep. Nor am I willing to forebear on your hard earned freedom - what little you have."  
  
I blanched and looked away, a slight tremor running through my arm. Now I felt sick to my stomach. "I - appreciate that ..."  
  
Light pressure on my hand brought my attention back to Treize; he looked at me, his expression surprisingly mild, and murmured, "I dressed my wound myself and later presented it as a minor hunting accident. Hence .. no one knows. I hope that is acceptable." His gaze held mine, clear blue eyes that seemed to see to the bottom of my soul, eyes that were searching mine for something.  
  
I dropped my gaze, unable to meet his anymore. "I ... that is, you ..."  
  
I found I couldn't continue. My face felt as though it was turning all shades of red, and I couldn't look at him at all. I felt embarrassed, and ashamed, and completely mortified. Swallowing, I started again, taking a deep breath. "That is more than acceptable, Treize. But I don't understand - I shot you on the ship-" I shrank a little at my own words, but continued: "-how long did you have to wait to care for yourself?"  
  
"Not very long," he replied, letting go of my hand and patting my knee reassuringly. "To be honest, it's why I dropped you. I am far from perfect; and your shot, I fear, rendered my arm fairly useless. I only wish I had the resilience in regards to pain that others do."  
  
Guilt dropped over me, taking me completely by surprise. Ah ... then I didn't miss him ... "I - I am sorry, Treize. Please .. accept my apology, and -"  
  
"Shh," he broke in, giving me a small smile. "There is no need. You were simply being true to yourself. Don't think I don't know you wish me dead - I know that."  
  
Gods - he knew? I looked up sharply and found myself looking right into his eyes. I was captured again; my composure was fractured, splintered and strewn across my psyche. Unable to hold his gaze at all, I lowered my eyes and murmured, "I - I won't try to shoot you again, Treize." Part of my mind was watching and categorizing every action and reaction to him. It was mildly shocked that I considered apologizing to him at all.  
  
He's the enemy. Aren't you supposed to eliminate your enemies?  
  
"If you do, Sally, I will understand. I do hope, though, that your aim is better."  
  
I glanced up to see a small, teasing smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I gave him a weak smile in response. "Eh .. I'll see what I can do about that." My gaze slid away again as I thought of another uncomfortable consequence. "What .. what did you tell Wufei?"  
  
Treize was silent for a moment. "That I fell on the ship when bringing you back, and strained my shoulder," he finally said. "He did not see the blood, so he believed me. And you ... well ... I had to sedate you. He was told that you were exhausted mentally and emotionally."   
  
Nodding to himself, he continued. "And .. ah, how did he put it? .. Ah yes. Wufei's translation was, 'doing woman things.'" He gave me a sidelong glance through thick eyelashes, watching my reaction with a tiny quirk of his lips.  
  
"Oh," I said, blushing again. Woman things? What does that mean to Wufei..?  
  
"It was enough for him," Treize said, amused. "He may ask you more later, though."  
  
"I - I see." Warm color raced across my face again. "I don't want to lie to him - "  
  
"Then don't. I do not ask you to compromise yourself - merely to keep him from the strain this could cause."  
  
"If I don't need to explicitly mention this - then I won't," I promised. I hardly believed the words that came out of my mouth.  
  
Treize nodded; I had the vague impression he was pleased. "You only will if he asks - he may not. There is no question, however, that you needed to be sedated, I fear."  
  
"But - why?" I asked, the question involuntarily running over my tongue. I regretted it the moment it was out, especially when I saw the way his eyebrow quirked the instant I said it.   
  
Treize sighed, tilting his head to the side as he regarded me. "How do I put this?" he wondered, staring at me with a wry smile. "You were - babbling. Not coherent at all. Not to mention the slight difficulty you presented by stealing a gun and shooting it at me."  
  
I knew I didn't want to hear that answer. "Ah," I responded, now completely embarrassed. "I can see where that would pose a problem."  
  
We sat in silence for a few moments. "This - this happened on Friday, didn't it? Is today Saturday?"  
  
"Correct. That happened Friday night. Now it is Tuesday morning."  
  
I stared at him, shocked. I tried to say something, but nothing came out. I finally managed, "T - Tuesday? I've been unconscious since Friday night? For three days?"  
  
Treize nodded, watching me closely. "I want to trust you again, Sally. I am giving you my trust - allowing you freedom in this place. Please ... do not do such a thing again."   
  
He took me by surprise once more; that gentle rebuke had more power in it than any shouted remonstrations at me in the past ever did. My palms started to sweat, and I couldn't look away from him - I was caught as cleanly as an animal snared in a trap.   
  
"No - no, Treize, I won't," I whispered. "Believe me, I won't do that again."  
  
Inclining his head in acceptance of my promise, he continued in the same gentle tone, "You might want to speak with Wufei now. He has been very upset since you were taken ill ... as it were."  
  
I flinched at the implied criticism in his tone, thinking again how effective he was at this type of castigation. "Yes - I - I'll do that now, if I may," I murmured, blinking several times.  
  
Blue eyes took in my state with one calm, cool glance. "He is - overtraining - again," Treize said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Somehow, he blames himself for your illness, and will not allow me to dispel this notion. You know how he is with guilt."  
  
An image of Wufei training, arms and legs striking the air at a frenetic pace, flashed across my mind. "Yes. I remember what he's like." I rose carefully from the chair, trying to minimize the pain that ran down the center of my back. "Do you know where he is?"  
  
Treize nodded, his eyelids drooping slightly, masking a sudden gleam. "Yes - he's in the swimming pool. I won't allow him to swim in the ocean at this time."  
  
I stepped back from the chair, realizing that Wufei confined to the swimming pool meant he was more a danger to himself now than he was before. Obviously, I was the reason he was in such a state; gods, if I wasn't feeling guilty before, I certainly was now.  
  
"I'll go see him now, if I may," I said tightly, cold dread at his suspected condition moving me. "And - thank you, Treize," I said, my voice low and strained, cracking a little bit.   
  
Waving one hand negligently, his eyes closed, Treize shook his head and said, his voice heavy with sorrow and worry, "Do not thank me, Sally - unless you do it by helping Wufei. I grow concerned for him."   
  
Stung, I immediately replied, "Of course I will help him-"  
  
"Then please do so." Treize cut me off and gave me a pointed, meaningful look before turning back to the score on the music stand. That shut me out and effectively told me that our interview was over.   
  
I swallowed, then nodded stiffly and left the room, feeling as though I had just been scolded, spanked and dismissed, in that order. Oddly enough, I also felt as though he was disappointed in me, and a part of me was contrite enough to actually want to please him.  
  
That makes absolutely no sense, I argued with myself, marching down the hallway to the stairs, what is wrong with you? You're a prisoner - he's the enemy - period. Does it matter what he thinks?  
  
I continued down the stairs, not really seeing anything, my internal dialog taking all my concentration. Prisoners should not care how their jailers feel, because jailers don't care about their prisoner's feelings.  
  
But was that really true? An image of Treize's face when he was asking how I felt, and again talking about Wufei, came to mind. He seemed sincere - he seemed to care about us - in fact, he allowed me to wander where I wanted around the house and the grounds.  
  
That doesn't matter, I told myself angrily. He's manipulating you for some other plan. He's like that, and you know it. You have an obligation to try to escape, and that's what you were trying to do.  
  
Well, no, not really, said my contrary internal voice. You weren't trying to escape on the ship - you were simply trying to kill him, because ... because ...   
  
And my mind went frustratingly blank, unable to supply me with a single detail of why I had wanted to kill him.  
  
"Wo-wo-wo-wooooooo," rumbled unexpectedly from my right side.  
  
I started and leaped back in alarm. I had almost stepped on one of the guard dogs, a huge male that was panting amiably at my feet. His tail stump thumped the floor as he looked at me with his large tongue lolling out of his mouth.   
  
And he wasn't the only dog in the house. As I slowly turned my head, I realized I had walked down three flights of stairs without realizing it - and now I was in the main corridor on the first floor, and said corridor was littered with enormous guard dogs with teeth the size long pocket knives. These dogs resembled Rottweilers in their body shape and musculature, but that's where any similarities ended. Something was strangely different about their eyes.  
  
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I stepped gingerly over the dog's huge forelegs, smiling weakly at him. "Good dog," I murmured, my eyes wide and scared as I looked at his teeth, "good dog. Stay there ... that's right ... don't bite me, please ..."   
  
Relief washed over me as I saw the hallway leading to the swimming pool veer to the right. No dogs over there, thank God ...  
  
Sounds of water slapping the side of the pool echoed through the hallway; it sounded as though a small monsoon was blowing through the pavilion. I walked quickly over to the double doors leading to the pool, silently opening one side and slipping through the entrance unnoticed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was a first class natatorium. Floor to ceiling windows faced the sea and imported Italian marble outlined the edges of the pool. The pool was a standard Olympic size pool, perfect for lap swimming.   
  
Wufei was the only one in the pool. He was swimming so hard the water saw sloshing hard against the side of the pool and his ragged breathing echoed around the tiled room.  
  
"Wufei." I immediately hurried to the edge of the pool, sliding to a stop on the marble by the edge of the pool, terribly worried.   
  
"Wufei!" I called, leaning over the water as far as I dared. "Wufei!"  
  
He kept swimming as if he didn't hear me. His arms cleaved the water with remarkable precision; each stroke was a carbon copy of the one before it. Wufei was the picture of perfect physical control, forcing his body to perform in the same manner again and again. The only clue that he had been swimming longer than five or ten minutes was his breathing - each breath he took as his face turned to the side was noisy and rough, sounding almost painful.  
  
"Wufei!" I called, louder than before. I waved my arms in front of my body as I leaned over the pool; I was leaning so far over the edge that I thought I might actually fall in myself. "Wufei, look over here!"  
  
This time Wufei saw me. He stopped, panting heavily, and swam to the edge. Gasping with effort, he pulled himself to the side, his elbows resting on the edge, his forearms folded in front of him. As I knelt down in front of him, I saw his hands shaking slightly.  
  
"S..sally," he gasped, looking at me, water streaming down his face.  
  
"Wufei. Wufei .. you're training hard."   
  
Panting heavily, he watched me, saying nothing.   
  
Feeling more than a little self-conscious, I smiled at him, blinking, and said, "I - I'm finally up, Wufei. I feel much better - much better than I did..."  
  
"I ... hope so," he gasped, breathing deeply. "You .. you're not well."  
  
"I know I was out for a couple of days ... but I'm feeling fine right now." I smiled encouragingly at him but I was privately aghast at his appearance.   
  
His eyebrows drew together in a frown as he snorted angrily, "Don't lie to me." He pushed away from the wall and started swimming again, intent on starting his laps even though his hands had not stopped shaking the entire time he was at the side of the pool.  
  
"Wait - wait, Wufei! Please, wait-"  
  
"WHAT?" he roared back, obviously irritated..  
  
"Wufei - really - I'm not lying to you." I knelt at the water's edge and looked at him, all defenses down. "I really DO feel better. Would you ... would you get out of the pool and come have breakfast with me?"   
  
Wufei was panting, treading water as he watched me; I knew he wasn't as steady as he should have been. Exhaustion, my inner voice said. Get him out of the water right away.   
  
I forced myself to look calm. Better try something else quickly. Rocking back on my heels, I smiled faintly and said, "...I ... I am hungry ... and would like some company ..."  
  
The moment between us lengthened, until I was sure I would have to leap in and pull him out.  
  
"...fine...," he breathed.  
  
"Thank you, Wufei," I murmured, relief coloring my face. But my smile abruptly became fixed as I watched him drag himself over to the side of the pool and realize that he couldn't pull himself out.  
  
Rage and impotent frustration settled into his grim expression as he attacked the edge of the pool yet again with his arms and legs, to no avail. He was not going to get out of the pool under his own power no matter what - at least, not that way.  
  
Wordlessly, I dropped to my knees and immediately offered my hands to him - a matter-of-fact gesture, something that was simply a matter of course - two people helping each other as best they could.  
  
I felt smooth, wet hands grasp around my wrists and tighten. Without hesitation, I clamped my hands around his wrists and rocked back on my heels, pulling as hard as I could. My back shrieked in agony; intense pain flared along every nerve and synapse; dark spots streaked across vision. and it took every. I grunted and kept pulling, ignoring the wildfire running the length of my back, and was rewarded when Wufei's hips finally cleared the rim of the pool. I let go then and sat down hard on the tiled floor, my breath rasping in my chest, tears standing in my eyes.  
  
Wufei, meanwhile, was on all fours at the edge of the pool. He was trembling in every limb, his was head down, panting as if he had run a marathon. It was patently obvious that he was unable to support his own weight - in fact, he seemed to have difficulty with staying on his hands and knees.  
  
Get him out of here and into a room, my instincts shouted, he's going into shock.  
  
I took him in hand, wrapping him in a huge bathtowel that enveloped his compact frame several times over. I knew how tired he was when he didn't protest, nor did he lift his head to see what it was that I was doing.  
  
"Wufei. I'm taking you back to your room. You'll be able to change - and I'll call for breakfast for both of us. No need to make a second trip down here again."  
  
"Hai," he gasped, leaning on me. .  
  
Staggering, I shifted him so that my shoulders now supported most of his weight. I thought my back was going to crack.  
  
"Let's go, Wufei," I gasped. Quickly, quickly, before either one of you goes into shock ...  
  
It felt like it took years to move him through the corridor and back to his bedroom. Dimly, it occurred to me that most prisoners were not allowed freedom such as this - most, in fact, would have found themselves chained to the wall after an incident such as the one I started. And excessive overtraining was usually rewarded with extended rest .. somewhere... on the premises.  
  
Then again, I thought as we stumbled into his room, Wufei would NOT be in very good shape if I wasn't allowed to see him ... the fact that I was the cause of his overtraining was something my overtaxed brain pointedly avoided.  
  
"...it was only a ... few hours," he gasped as I guided him toward the bed, his head lolling to one side.  
  
"What was only a few hours, Wufei?" I asked curiously, settling him into a sitting position.  
  
A thunderous silence greeted me as he looked down and to the side, finally shrugging a halfhearted response. "...before the sun was really up...," he muttered, keeping his eyes glued to the floor. Color washed across his wan face as he continued, his voice even lower, "...he had to pull me out of it yesterday, and almost made me promise not to go in again. He won't let me swim in the sea."  
  
I nodded, looking carefully into his face and eyes. "You've been training so much, Wufei, that you're going to train yourself right into exhaustion. We should get something for you to eat."  
  
"I don't want to."  
  
"After so much exercise, I'm sure you aren't feeling that hungry now - but you will in a little while. Plus, I haven't eaten solid food for over three days, Wufei, and ... and I hate to eat alone." I left my plea unsaid, instead looking at him, hoping he would trust me enough to admit his current condition.  
  
Wufei closed his eyes, resigned. "Hai. I will eat with you, if you think I should."  
  
"Absolutely. It will do you good."  
  
I'd better take care of this before he changes his mind. I picked up his phone and dialed the extension to the kitchen. After a quiet conversation with Mrs. Grim, I turned back to find Wufei sitting in the same position, staring at his hands.   
  
Without any noticeable change in inflection, Wufei said tonelessly, "He's calling me 'dragon' now. I - I don't know what he means."  
  
I blinked and looked at him. "'Dragon?' He's calling you by your ... clan name?" It wasn't really done in this part of the world, and why Treize would choose to do that to Wufei now made little sense.  
  
"It is my clan name, yes. My lineage." He seemed only about half aware of his surroundings, focusing instead on his hand in his lap.  
  
Something resonated within me - something that caused me to look at him sharply. "That's interesting - when did this start?"  
  
"When did what start?" Wufei didn't seem completely aware of his surroundings at all. .  
  
"You know - when did Treize start calling you 'dragon?' " I repeated, checking to make sure the signs of shock had abated.   
  
"Yesterday. After he pulled me out of the pool. I didn't-" Another guilty look whispered across his face.  
  
"You didn't what, Wufei?" I sat as close to him as I dared, wincing slightly at the pain through my shoulders.  
  
"...I wasn't really drowning," he finished defensively, looking at me."I don't care what he told you..."  
  
Nodding, I continued, "He didn't really tell me anything, Wufei. He only said that you had been training hard these past couple of weeks ..."  
  
He looked mortified; his eyes were an unusual shape, set into a smooth, oval face. "Oh," he said, clamping his lips tightly together, looking away from me.  
  
"He called me 'dragon,'" he repeated, muffled.   
  
Again, the word 'dragon' resonated against my nerves, sending a shiver across my mind to my soul. It was the strangest sensation I ever had. I reached over to massage the back of my neck, carefully avoiding the painful region right in the center.  
  
"It sounds familiar to me, Wufei - but - I can't remember a thing," I said, pushing my way through the fog that suddenly shrouded my mind. "I'm having a difficult time remembering. I think it's because - well, probably because of the drugs -"  
  
Wufei stole a sidelong glance at me, his eyes gleaming.  
  
My lips tightened as I turned my head, looking away from him. "I ... I was told that I was sedated for a while ... so consequently, I remember very little ..."  
  
Wufei watched me carefully; after a few moments he nodded and said - as though it was a cohesive, complete thought - "Your neck."  
  
I turned my head, frowning, and looked at him. "It hurts," I admitted. "A lot. It should go away in a day or so, though, I guess -"  
  
"It's bruised," Wufei said, matter-of-factly. "Did you look at it?"  
  
Puzzled, I looked at him and wrinkled my nose. "Well .. eh .. no. I didn't."  
  
"You should. It's bruised all along here." With his right hand he reached over and gently traced a path from the nape of my neck, through my shoulders and down the middle of my back, roughly following my spinal chord.   
  
Intense pain flared against his fingers - even though Wufei was being gentle, barely managed agony was quickly spreading across my back, pulsing from his fingertips in waves.  
  
"Yes," I ground out, clenching my teeth, "that hurts."  
  
He removed his hand from my back, looking slightly embarrassed. "It's purple," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "You should have it looked at."  
  
"Purple?" I repeated, turning away slightly and wincing.  
  
Wufei nodded, studiously looking anywhere except at my face. "Purple," he replied.  
  
Turning my head, I saw a dresser with a mirror against the wall. I pushed myself off the bed, painfully, and walked over to it. I adjusted the mirrors to see my back and pulled my hair forward, then looked in the mirror and gasped in shock.  
  
My neck wasn't just bruised; the entire area from the base of my skull to the middle of my back was mottled and dark, almost black. It looked as though someone had drybrushed a wide swath from the bottom of my head to some point on my back in blue black paint.  
  
The realization of what happened hit me in an instant; Treize did that with a twist of his hand. My internal voice voice noted that a millimeter to either side would have ended my life or left me completely paralyzed. Some of the bruising could be explained by his dropping me, but the majority occurred when he twisted that thing on my back.   
  
Had I not been leaning on the dresser, I surely would have fallen forward when the last part of the lesson hit home. Now I was left with a constant, aching, physical reminder of what he could do to me. Treize had no need of guns nor crude tools - the only thing he needed was to be close enough to touch me. And considering I was his prisoner and living in a household full of Treize-loyal soldiers, the chance that I would never come within his reach was very close to zero.  
  
Without warning, his voice stole into my awareness - I remember infractions, and act accordingly -   
  
This, obviously, was my second warning. A bit more violent that the first, but at least I was alive and not permanently injured.  
  
I stared into the mirror with wide eyes. "...that's ... an enormous amount of bruising. No wonder it hurts so much ..." I turned toward Wufei. "Is it ... obvious? I mean .. how did you see it?"   
  
Wufei raised his eyebrow. "How could you NOT see it?" A lofty look crossed his face, one that was completely incongruous with his pale cheeks and trembling hands.  
  
I pushed my hair back over my shoulders, screening my neck from view. An acute need to shift the focus of the conversation away from me made me plunge in with another question. "Wufei? I didn't understand - why are you upset that Treize called you 'dragon?'"  
  
The loftiness ran out of his posture a little bit. "It's .. blasphemous to use," he replied, his voice low.  
  
"Do you mean it refers to a deity?" I asked, sitting next to him again.  
  
Wufei stared at me, his eyebrows raised as high as they could go. He did not say it - however, his entire manner, while not contemptuous, was definitely one in which he felt quite superior. "The four gods of China - Seiyruu, Byyako, Suzauku, and Genbu - created the world and maintained the balance between them, along with the unnamed fifth god ... but you already know this."  
  
"Ah .. I do now. " I nodded back, coloring slightly. It was uncomfortable not knowing something that was common knowledge, especially when that something was called into question.  
  
Wufei stared at me, incredulous. "You - you didn't know? You didn't know about the gods?"   
  
"My parents weren't into religion and the old ways - and I'm a medical doctor, Wufei. I was trained to put my trust in science from a very early age. There really wasn't room in my life for stories and such - and THAT means there are many things I don't know. However, I do like learning and listening. Please go on ..."  
  
He was still staring, but the incredulity had turned to shock, and was solidifying with every word I said. "But .. but this is your HISTORY..."  
  
I sighed, deflated. "Yes .. I'm aware of that. There are really many things that I don't know about, and would be eager to learn. It's my heritage, and now I have the time to learn." After I said the last sentence, I realized how bitter that sounded. I couldn't help it, though. Now I had time. Before, I had been busy, but now ... I had nothing but time. Nowhere to go, and nothing but time.  
  
"Okay." Wufei stared at me as if I admitted I had no idea who Mahatma Gandhi was. "Let's take it slowly. The fifth unnamed god is who creates balance; Suzauku is the phoenix, who represents fire and the West; Seiyruu is the dragon god, who represents water and the East; Genbu is the turtle god, who represents the earth and the South; and Byyako is the white tiger god, who represents air and the North."  
  
I hid my slight amusement under a mask of attentiveness. While he may not have wanted to convey the impression, it sounded as though he believed what he was saying. It was a charming fairy tale, but one for children, not for adults.  
  
"So by calling you 'dragon,' Treize was actually calling you Seiyruu - calling you the dragon god?"  
  
Wufei's head turned so he could look directly into my eyes. "According to legend, Seiyruu put on human form so he could take a wife. My clan is the result of that. I am a descendent of the dragon god Seiyruu ..."  
  
I looked at him, blinking.   
  
"...or so I was taught," Wufei finished, mumbling, dropping his gaze and looking away.  
  
"Wufei - people have different beliefs about the way the world and the universe were created, and man's role in that creation. Our people's explanation for that is not terribly unusual. I always intended to look up my ancestors, but never really had the time."  
  
"Well - now you know," Wufei muttered, scowling, obviously embarrassed.  
  
"Very true - now I do. You're very lucky, you know - you can trace your line back many hundreds of thousands of years. There are many of us who cannot do that. In fact, some of us are simply lucky we knew our parents -"  
  
"I did not," Wufei countered, glancing at me.  
  
"No, but you know all about your clan. I, on the other hand, can tell you about my parents, but nothing about my ancestors or heritage. It feels ... very strange. Especially when I believe I should know something about my heritage."  
  
An involuntary shiver ran across his shoulders; his pale face looked positively ghostly. I reproached myself for my thoughtlessness - how could I forget why I brought him back to his room? - and said mildly, "Wufei - why don't you go shower before our breakfast arrives?"  
  
Nodding wordlessly, Wufei pushed himself off the bed and marched into the bathroom, closing the door.  
  
I sighed, rose from the bed and walked over to the large chair facing the sea. Sinking down into the cushions, I rubbed my forehead, then moved my fingers from my temples to knead the back of my neck, trying to massage the ache from my muscles.  
  
He could have broken my neck, I thought, stunned again. I should be dead.   
  
The knock on the door brought me to myself. I unfolded my legs and rose from the chair to meet Mrs. Grim, who pushed a large trolley through the door. I helped her guide the cart toward the table next to the windows. We emptied the top tray of all its cups and dishes.  
  
While Mrs. Grim and I set the table, Wufei walked out of the bathroom and collapsed on the bed, fully dressed. I glanced over at him; his cheeks were finally a healthy shade of pink, and it looked like he was dozing.   
  
"Don't go to sleep yet, Wufei. We still need to eat something - look at what Mrs. Grim has done for us."  
  
A short grunt was her response. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, sighing. Mrs. Grim chuckled.   
  
"Oh, don't fuss at the boy, miss. I'm sure he'll pick himself up soon enough when his stomach complains. They're all like that, you know."   
  
I laughed and helped Mrs. Grim push the trolley out the door again. "Thank you, Mrs. Grim. We appreciate it."  
  
"No trouble, miss ... no trouble at all."  
  
I left the door open, then walked back to the bed and gently shook him by the shoulder. "Wufei ... Wufei," I murmured, "you really must eat something ... you need to, please..."  
  
"Mmmkay ... I will," he muttered, pushing himself up from the pillow with an effort. I caught his left arm and helped him to his feet and tugged him in the direction of the table. After I settled him in his chair I pulled one over for myself, sat down next to him and examined his face.  
  
"How long have you been training like this, Wufei?"   
  
Staring at his food, he murmured, "Since Friday night."  
  
"Since-"  
  
And I stopped, swallowing, staring, as guilt pressed in on all sides again, that same constricted feeling I had with Treize earlier in the day. After all, Friday night was when I decided to go off on my own and shoot Treize - and Wufei had not been training like this BEFORE I decided to kill him - so -   
  
It was now obvious that there was some connection between my physical health and Wufei's tenuous grip on sanity - meaning that if took risks with my health, in some way I was also risking Wufei's well-being as well.   
  
I blinked and attacked my eggs. I felt awful.  
  
"He has no right to call me 'dragon,'" Wufei said suddenly.  
  
I looked up sharply. Wufei had not moved; was, in fact, still staring at his food, his hands quiet in his lap.  
  
"You could tell him you don't want him to do that," I volunteered; privately, though I didn't hold out much hope that Treize would take him seriously.   
  
Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, his dark eyes met mine as he shrugged, "I ...don't know."  
  
Something in his gaze triggered a memory for me, something I forgot to tell him. "Wufei," I breathed, apprehensive, "- I didn't tell you. I don't have my phone anymore."  
  
His blinked slowly, looking at me. "....you don't have your phone?" he repeated, frowning.  
  
I shook my head, fighting an unexpected surge of panic. "No. I - when I woke up, I wasn't wearing the same thing I wore that night - so I don't know -" I stopped and looked at him, my stomach churning. "-I don't know what happened to it. In fact," I continued, my face turning a shade paler, "Duo gave me a .. a tracker that I was wearing. That's gone, too ..."  
  
Wufei frowned again, thinking. "But Treize has said nothing."  
  
"There's no way anyone would miss the phone. You're sure - he hasn't said anything at all?"  
  
"No," Wufei said, shaking his head.  
  
"Then something's wrong. It was found, of that I'm positive - and that means that he's either going to overlook this, or .. deal with it later." An involuntary shiver ran down my spine.  
  
"I know you were not kept in your room." Wufei was thinking out loud, musing. "He wanted you close by in case something happened."  
  
In case something happened? Good heavens, what was I going to do? I was unconscious, for pity's sake - and he had already taken away the gun ...  
  
"...did you look in your room?" Wufei asked, looking at me, his dark eyes thoughtful. "It could be there."  
  
"Well .. no, I didn't," I admitted. "I - I did not have the chance." I also didn't want to tell him about my conversation with Treize, and the fact that I walked from Treize to see him.  
  
Nodding, Wufei said, "Then that is the first place you need to investigate. Also, you should look to see if it was in the room in which you were kept for the last three days - just in case."  
  
"Okay, Wufei. I'll check after we're finished - which means that you need to eat something, at least ..."  
  
A large, dramatic sigh was my only response.  
  
"Really. It's not that bad." I spooned some eggs into my mouth as if proving a point.  
  
Wufei snorted. "Treize, having bad food? Bah - impossible!"  
  
"Well, then?" I grinned at him, my fork challenging his in mid-air. "What are you waiting for?"  
  
He glared at me and poked a little more at his food, a bit uncertainly.  
  
He doesn't want to use the fork, I realized in a flash of insight. Of course! He'd be more comfortable using chopsticks. I looked across the table and spotted two slim table knives lying next to an extra place setting.   
  
"Here," I said, thrusting the knives at him, slender side first, "you could use these for chopsticks if you wanted.."  
  
Surprised, Wufei stopped poking at his food with his fork, stared at me," then at what I was offering in my hand. Accepting the utensils, he held them in his hand and smirked, trying not to chuckle.  
  
It had just been an idea. Feeling rather foolish, raising an eyebrow, I muttered, "Well, it's better than nothing, isn't it?"  
  
Wufei looked at me for a moment. Then he laughed - a full-throated, totally unexpected sound.  
  
I blinked, then grinned - that was the first time I had ever heard him laugh out loud. It made me feel special, to know that I had drawn that response from him.  
  
"That was a wonderful sound to hear, Wufei."  
  
It seemed the world stopped at the sound of that voice. Wufei hunched slightly in his chair, his face lost all expression and the expression in his eyes turned inward, becoming sullen and grim.   
  
I turned in unpleasant surprise; Treize stood casually in the doorway, a pile of neatly folded clothing in his arms.  
  
"These are yours, Ms. Po. All cleaned and pressed."   
  
Feeling very uncertain, I rose and claimed my clothing, forcing a calm look and smile. "Why - why thank you, Treize. That was very kind of you."  
  
"Of course, Sally," he murmured as he looked beyond me to Wufei. A strange expression crossed his face as he asked, "Still overtraining, Wufei?"  
  
"I'm eating," Wufei snapped without looking up.  
  
"We're just finishing breakfast." I spoke to Treize, smiling up into his face but annoyed at his comment. Stop intruding and just go away. .  
  
Treize raised his eyebrow, still looking at Wufei. "So I see ... I would ask to join you, had I more time."  
  
"Un," responded Wufei, still not meeting his gaze.  
  
"Ah. You're unable to join us?" What a shame. Thank the gods. Now go away.  
  
"Correct," Treize nodded. Tilting his head to one side, Treize said in a deceptively smooth voice, "Please take care of yourself, Wufei. Your welfare is my concern - you know that."  
  
The muscles in Wufei's jaw suddenly tightened and his face flushed slightly at Treize's words. He glanced furtively at me, almost as if he didn't want me to hear this kind of 'talk.'  
  
I stood next to Treize, holding my clothes when something made my eyes widen in surprise. I looked up at him, ready to say something when an expression on his face made me feel cold inside. I couldn't quite place it, but it triggered a significant involuntary reaction; suddenly, I found myself backing toward Wufei, trying to block his view, murmuring, "I'm sure he'll be fine, Treize." . That look from Treize toward Wufei was ...predatory. Possessive. And something else that was not quite ... normal. It raised my hackles and chilled her to the bone.  
  
"I thank you for your help," Treize said, nodding to me. "I do hate to leave him without supervision. Have a good day, my friends." Bowing slightly, he turned and left the room.  
  
Both Wufei and I stared after him. 


	27. Chapter 26

Tapestry - Chapter 26  
  
After Treize left, Wufei and I stared at the doorway for a good three minutes, both a little spooked, watching to make sure he wasn't going to reappear as silently as he appeared. When he didn't, we finished our breakfast; but to tell the truth, neither one of us had any appetite. I found myself peeking over at the doorway, not trusting that Treize was well and truly gone. Wufei was doing the same thing; our gazes caught each other several times, then skittered away.  
  
Excellent. Now, not only did we share living space, we shared paranoia as well.  
  
Wufei's eyelids drooped and his head bobbed toward his chest. He made a valiant effort to stay awake, but his lids kept drifting shut all the same.  
  
"Wufei. Why not lay down for a little while? There's no need for us to go anywhere right now." I kept my voice quiet, calm, non-threatening, and casually stood up. Ready to catch and steady him, if he needed it.   
  
He was silent for a moment. "....Very well," he finally answered. When he stood, he wobbled for a moment, then caught his balance and walked over to the bed. He sat on the edge, pulled off his slippers and lay down, allowing me to tuck the comforter around him.  
  
"I'm sure you're fine, Wufei, but I don't want you to get a chill. We really should keep your muscles warm so they don't spasm."  
  
He nodded, sleepy, his eyes closing like a small child's. "O - okay," he murmured, obviously bone-weary.  
  
Leaning over, I felt his forehead, then the back of his neck. Good - his skin wasn't clammy anymore. He was simply exhausted, and the best thing for him to do was exactly what he was doing - sleep.  
  
"Rest, Wufei. You rest. I'll be right here."  
  
He murmured something unintelligible and rolled over, sleep claiming him immediately.  
  
I sighed and watched him, thinking. He was fifteen - just fifteen. What was I doing when I was fifteen? I was finishing high school, starting a few premed classes, happily on my way to becoming a doctor, something I was sure I wanted to do. He, on the other hand, had already been married and widowed, had fought in the war and become a prisoner - and now, through no fault of his own, some maniac wanted to -  
  
"Sally."  
  
That familiar voice ripped through my reverie. I glanced up, shocked, to see Trowa standing in the doorway, his face partially hidden in shadow, looking more like a ghost than the unsophisticated gundam pilot I knew.  
  
"Quickly, Sally. You must come with me. We have no more time."  
  
What do you do when an apparition tells you that you must do something? Do you do it, with no questions asked? Not if you're me, you don't.  
  
I walked over to the doorway, frowning a little. "Trowa - Trowa, is that really you? Trowa, what in the hell are you talking about? I can't leave Wufei. How did you get IN here?" I squinted, trying to see his face in the gloom, keeping my voice pitched even and low, not to disturb Wufei. "Duo told me you were in France. Are you all right?"  
  
He looked back, his visible eye dark and enigmatic. "Come with me, Sally. Quickly, now. Time is limited."  
  
Never mind that there was fog in the hall; whatever it was, it had no odor, and seemed to disappear and reappear for no reason that I knew. It stretched in both directions as far as I could see; and for a moment, green fog wafted like wings from the back of Trowa's shoulders.  
  
"What the hell is all this fog doing in the hall? What's going on?" My eyes felt as if they were getting larger and larger; the longer I stared, the stranger I felt. "Talk to me, Trowa. What are you talking about? Where do you want to go? What's going on here?"  
  
He gazed at me for a moment, then turned and strode down the hallway, his walk smooth and soundless. Apparently, he wasn't going to answer my questions standing in the doorway.  
  
"Trowa-!"   
  
Frustrated, I trotted after him. It was a challenge to keep up.  
  
Things didn't look quite the same after he passed them, either. The walls - something was wrong with the walls after he passed them. They were off a bit, distorted in some subtle way. I couldn't quite place it, but they were, I knew it. It was something I could see out of the corner of my eye, not when I looked at them head-on.   
  
Gods, I groaned to myself, was I dreaming again? I hadn't dreamt this much in years, and suddenly, in one week, I couldn't seem to STOP dreaming. It was terribly disturbing.  
  
"You're not dreaming," Trowa said without looking back.  
  
I stared at the back of his head and blinked. Suddenly, the pilot of 03 has become a mind reader? "What....?"  
  
~~You are not dreaming.~~  
  
I stopped walking and stared at him, my mouth slightly open, my eyes very wide. Trowa, however, walked up to the next doorway on the left, opened the door and walked through it, then held it open, pointedly waiting for me to follow him.  
  
~~Well ....?~~  
  
Okay. He was - SPEAKING to me - in my mind?  
  
Impossible. That. Was. Impossible.  
  
But I had to make sure. ~~You - are speaking to me - in my mind?~~  
  
~~Yes. Will you come into this room, please? We have very little time, and a lot of information for you to assimilate.~~  
  
I stared at him, trying for the 'of course I'm calm, people speak to me in my head every day' expression. He stared back at me, very matter-of-fact, with the 'you're not fooling me one bit Sally Po, I know what you're REALLY feeling but we don't have time for that now' expression on HIS face.   
  
It crossed my mind that if he could speak to me in my mind, there was little use in running away from him. There clearly wasn't any choice at all. I thought I smiled, but probably just ended up making an odd, twisted face as I walked past him into the room.  
  
"I don't understand this, Trowa." I was out of my depth, and knew it. Putting a brave face on things didn't change that one bit.  
  
"I know," he responded; and as I watched, the door shut by itself. "You're just going to have to deal."  
  
"Oh," I said, staring at the door, my voice a little weak. "Okay..."  
  
"There are several things you need to understand. First - events occurring here are happening on a spiritual as well as a physical level. You suspected this. Because of your current, unique position, you will have to accept it. Second -"  
  
I interrupted him, a little frantic. "Wait. Wait. What? What are you saying, 'my current, unique position? What the hell are you talking about? And what do you mean, I suspected it? I most certainly did NOT! I have NO idea what -"  
  
*"Sally."*  
  
I shut up immediately. The tone of his voice was - different. Awesome. Cold, but not angry. It was hard to describe. He was tilting his head, too, as if listening to something else, and then nodded.  
  
"Very well. I will show you. Do not panic."  
  
Almost scowling, I retorted, "Trowa, why would I panic? I'm a medical doctor, remember? I've seen bone and guts laid bare so many times that I'd prefer to forget -"  
  
Without warning, Trowa's body disappeared. In its place was ... something else. Something .... otherworldly.  
  
I gasped and could hardly breathe as I looked at him, he was so foreign. His shape was humanoid - mostly. He had a huge lantern jaw jutting out past the rest of his face, and skin that really wasn't skin - it was more like an exoskeleton. A weird, sickly, green light came from him, as if he was the source, and he had these wings - wings! - that were jointed, and huge, and translucent, and green, and spread out. They went on, and on, and on .... I couldn't see the end of them, they were so massive.   
  
And cold. He was so, so, so, cold ....   
  
I staggered, panted and stared, and caught myself against a large chair. In the next blink of an eye, Trowa was back to normal, watching me, his gaze calm and steady. I, however, was not; it took me a full two minutes to regain the use of my voice. During that time, we simply stared at each other as I clung to the back of the chair, my legs shaking.  
  
"Oh." I swallowed again when I could finally speak, feeling blood drain away from my face. "That's what you meant by 'spiritual."  
  
"I am not human," Trowa said evenly.  
  
Oh no kidding, I thought faintly.  
  
Just in case you didn't get that, my snarky inner voice quipped.   
  
Now many of Trowa's odd little quirks made sense. His own lack of emotion; his lack of understanding of anyone else's emotion; his preference of his own company, being a loner.   
  
Gods - and now he was speaking to me again, right in my face, the way some people talk to those who speak a foreign language, and I really wasn't getting it at all. I was still having trouble with the 'I am not human' part, and he wanted to move on.   
  
"Sally, you must listen. I am a Fate. The last Fate of this world. But that is not important. The only thing important for you to understand is this."  
  
He took a step closer to me, literally breathing into my face, and looked straight into my eyes, deadly serious.  
  
"There are two things which control the flow of time for humans - one is the written, which we Fates know. We keep that in balance and we can adjust that. The other is the Written." This 'Written' was obviously more important, because when he said it, his face took on a totally different expression and his tone was slightly more ponderous. He definitely said it with Capital Letters.  
  
"Only Jouten knows what is in the Written. That one cannot be changed." He gave me a measured look, and nodded. "My job is to maintain the written as much as I can. Currently, it is out of balance."  
  
"So ... you have to fix it?"  
  
"Correct. That is why I exist."  
  
"Well ... then ..." I shrugged a little and gave him a defensive smile. The image of jointed wings that went on forever in either direction was burned into my mind, and I was ... understandably nervous. "Fix it. I'm not stopping you."  
  
"I have not come to that part as yet. Do you have any questions about point number one?"  
  
"No. I ...no." I stepped back slightly after his response, a little overwhelmed by the situation.  
  
"Do not run away, Sally. We do not have time to play a game like that."  
  
I froze, staring at him. I hadn't been consciously thinking about it. I just wanted a little space between us.  
  
"I - I wasn't going to, Trowa," I promised. My voice sounded thin and reedy. Weak. I hated that.  
  
"Number two." Maybe I was imagining it, but I thought he was looking at me with a little compassion. "There are beings who are outside the written, who were made that way, or became that way by not dying when they were supposed to die. They are called anankha. They can affect the ebb and flow of time as we know it, and can help or hinder the way time flows in our timeline."  
  
"Okay," I said cautiously, looking at him. I didn't understand why he was telling me this. He hadn't told me why I needed to know this.  
  
"Wufei should have died when he was an infant, but he did not."  
  
I stared at him. He stared back calmly and continued.  
  
"Ninety-nine percent of those born with the dragon's blood die in infancy. He was supposed to die, but he did not."  
  
"Wufei - should have -" I blinked, digesting what he said. "Dragon's blood? Do you mean to say that - that - the legend is ... true?"  
  
"Yes." Trowa was oh so calm. "That one, and many others, are true. Almost all the ancient gods are now gone - fled or destroyed. Seiyruu remains, because his children remain. Or more specifically, his Child. Wufei is the only one who carries the blood at this time."  
  
I was speechless. "That's - that's incredible," I finally whispered.  
  
"Not really. Questions?"  
  
He was just so - freaking - calm. "How - how - does this affect Wufei?" My mind was spinning. I was pushing myself to retain this information and not shut down.  
  
"Specifically speaking, it means his soul is not really that of a human - although he is a perfect hybrid. But the dragon has yet to awaken."  
  
I blinked. "Wha - he's ... he's ... not ... human?"  
  
Trowa pushed a steaming cup of tea into my hand. "Of course not."   
  
"Thank you," I said automatically, wondering where on earth it came from.  
  
"He is mostly human. He can be killed as a human. Take blood transfusions. Fall in love, have a family, all as a human. But his soul is not human."  
  
"I think I'm going to sit down, if you don't mind." My legs gave out under me, and I sank down on the floor, holding my tea. I thanked all the gods I knew that it didn't spill.  
  
Trowa sat down next to me, folding his legs under him naturally, sitting quite close, leaning toward me.  
  
"More questions?" he asked, looking serious. "Details?"  
  
"Um ... is he - is he the only one ... outside the written? The only ... anankha? "  
  
"No. Although -"  
  
I laughed, a little bitterly. Of course not. "I didn't think so. Who else?"  
  
" - he is the only one who currently falls under the category of human. The other person you know is Treize Khushrenada."  
  
I stared at him, clutching my cup, not trying to hide my expression of dismay. Fear. Ohgods.  
  
~~Treize?~~  
  
"He is not human at all."  
  
I continued to stare, not moving, not blinking, just ... staring. Surprise, surprise.   
  
Everything I told Wufei that night was true? Gads.   
  
Treize isn't human? No. Treize. Isn't. Human.  
  
Numb, I wondered if life could possibly become any more bizarre.  
  
He was still speaking. " ... the other gundam pilots are all very important to the written. All of them will change the face of history. However, Treize does not belong here. He is not in the written, and not within my control."  
  
"Not .... human? And ... and ... he - shouldn't be here? But then ... if not here, then where ...?"  
  
"He should have been destroyed a long time ago, but - he was not." Trowa said that oh so calmly, with such little emphasis that it was frightening. "And hence, he became outside the written. So now, he does what he wants."  
  
"He ... destroyed ... what ... ?" I whispered. I felt my eyes growing larger by the second.  
  
Trowa hesitated again, as if listening to something, then nodded again. "I will show you." He leaned forward and touched my forehead with cool fingers. "Forgive me," he said, his voice even. "My spirit is cold."  
  
As he spoke, something that felt like ice water splashed though my veins, pumping into my arms, legs and through my heart; and suddenly, we weren't in the Mediterranean house anymore.  
  
I looked around; I was next to Trowa and was holding his hand. We were outside, above a green, mountainous land that something in my head told me was China. It wasn't the China I knew, though - it was China of long ago, a China I had never seen. There was no technology; I saw a small peasant village, bordered by rice paddies and cattle. We were close enough to see the faces of the people in the village, and I was shocked to see that most of the people had dark hair and features like Wufei.  
  
"These are your ancestors." Trowa casually pointed to a family.  
  
"Mine?" I gaped at the villagers, blinking. The differences between those people and me were extreme. If I stood next to one of them, you would never guess that we were related at all.  
  
Trowa glanced at me. "You will need proof. This is not a dream, Sally Po."  
  
So saying, he touched my shoulder and we were flying rapidly through the air, away from the village, over the mountains, into a small, verdant valley. There was another village there - but this one bore little resemblance to the first. Whereas the first one was small, quaint and pastorale, this one was magnificent. Every line, every wall was clean and beautiful; decorations were on the rooftops and along the statues that dotted every path.  
  
"The Dragon Clan," Trowa murmured in my ear. He brought us down into the village; to my surprise, no one noticed us at all. Trowa took my arm and led me past several of the smaller houses to the largest most elaborate home in the village.   
  
We walked inside. It was cool, deserted and still, except for the man seated at the head of a table in the far room, next to a large picture window. He was gazing out the window, but hearing our approach, turned and gave us an inquiring stare with dark eyes, eyes that reminded me of Wufei. He was wearing embroidered silk, patterns sewn on material that was expensive and beautiful, patterns that Treize had given to Wufei to wear; in fact, this man was an older version of Wufei. I drew in my breath and could not help staring, even though I knew it was rude. The resemblance was simply so fantastic, so incredible, I could hardly believe it.  
  
"So, Taru. Again, you come?"  
  
Trowa bowed very low, pulling me with him, respectful. "Seiyruu-sama."  
  
My heart beat faster as I looked at the floor, and I tried not to tremble. I was in the presence of a god.  
  
As I studied the bare floorboards under my feet, I wondered - what does one say to a god? My knowledge of them was sketchy at best. I was a firm believer in science; that belief had been handed to me from my parents, and, I suspect, handed to them from their parents. Theories were very nice; scientific theories even more so. I tended to consider scientific theories a bit more generously than I did anything that had been colored with a religious taint. Gods and goddesses and such, I felt, were only man's way to explain the inexplicable until he used his brain and discovered the means to the real truth - science and technology.  
  
Of course, that was until now. Now I was feeling very exposed and small and alone - and very, very, human and fragile. Science and technology weren't going to help me here.  
  
A small, stubborn part shrieked from the back of my brain that I really WAS dreaming, and this was just the aftereffects of the drug Treize had given me, and why wasn't I just walking OUT of there...? The rest of my brain ignored that, however; it was patently illogical, given that I had not fallen asleep when Trowa found me, and I didn't know where I was.   
  
" ... a saint?"  
  
"She currently protects the last of your line," Trowa replied, drawing me up with him, extremely calm and collected.  
  
I stared up at him. A saint? Good gods, I wasn't a saint, not in any sense of the word - at least not any sense of the word that I knew. Not unless there was a non-religious aspect that was hidden from me.   
  
Seiryuu looked pained at Trowa's words. "Ah ... the last? So it comes to that eventually, does it?"  
  
"Perhaps. Perhaps not."  
  
A small smile crossed Seiryuu's face - and for some reason, I felt that was all I was likely to see from him in terms of humor. "And you won't tell me, hmm?"   
  
"The Written is for Jouten alone to know."  
  
Seiryuu gave a dark chuckle and looked over at me. "Let me see this saint, Taru."  
  
As Trowa pulled on my arm, gently tugging me forward, there was the sudden sound of giggling from another room. Three young children - none of them any older than seven - ran into the room, robes swirling around them, and pounced on Seiryuu, braids bobbing, merrily giggling and laughing the entire time.  
  
Trowa stopped me, putting his arm out to bar my way. I waited behind him, silently watching Seiryuu smiling and laughing with them, speaking in a dialect of Mandarin I'd never heard, then sending them off to play.  
  
It was a lovely scene, tender, familial, loving - but something was missing, and I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was.  
  
"None of those?" Trowa asked.  
  
"No. Only my daughter carries the seed, but she will have no more. Now. The saint."  
  
I was pulled forward again. I hesitated only a moment before allowing myself to be led forward and placed directly in front of Seiryuu.  
  
He looked exactly like Wufei - exactly - with one exception. His eyes were emerald green, not onyx black.   
  
I looked up, expecting him to speak to me. Instead, I felt him engulf me; that was the only way to describe it - and communicate with me without speaking.  
  
~~Who are you?~~  
  
He did something so that I felt him; his essence, or something. He was so much larger than me, so much MORE, that it even hurt to think about it. He surrounded me completely.  
  
~~I ... I'm ... Sally Po.~~  
  
~~Yes, yes, I know. But WHO are you?~~  
  
As he spoke, it felt as though he was exploring my entire body and psyche, not just my nerves and synapses. He was exploring ALL of me; my mind, my body, my soul. Seiryuu wanted an answer to his question, and he wasn't going to be satisfied with my small, inadequate replies.  
  
Limp in front of him, I could do nothing but stare while he took me over to satisfy his curiosity, poking and prodding into places in my soul I knew nothing about.   
  
Gods.   
  
Finally, he spoke again, rumbling through me. ~~You protect my Child?~~  
  
I was gaping in stupefied amazement. I could feel this man inside my fingernails; he knew the secrets of my soul, and now he wanted to know if I thought I protected Wufei? He didn't know?  
  
Not only were the gods crazy; apparently, they had problems with their short term memories as well.  
  
I couldn't refuse to answer him, though. ~~Yes. Yes, I protect him. As much as I can. I want to see him mature, grow whole. ~~  
  
Seiryuu smiled gently at me, then turned to Trowa. "Taru - she was not prepared for this. You have grown slovenly in your old age," he teased lightly. He looked at me again for a moment.  
  
~~And that is an acceptable goal, Sally Po.~~  
  
"I am not slovenly," Trowa replied. "Your last remaining Child is anankha."  
  
Seiryuu slowly faced Trowa, blinked once, and burst into laughter.   
  
"Anankha. So. My Child bucks you, Taru."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He is not happy with that, Sally Po." Seiryuu glanced at me, still chuckling. "You are not the first he has brought to me. It is - odd, this living in time that you humans do. I used to think I would go mad, if forced to do it. It is so much slower than seeing everything at once." He glanced outside, through the picture window. The children who invaded the house and pounced on Seiryuu moments before were now laughing and shrieking merrily with each other, running madly outside. "Now, I don't believe I wish to ever give it up."  
  
"You will," Trowa said, impassive.  
  
"So you say," he sighed.  
  
"I don't understand," I said, softly, more to myself than anyone else.  
  
Seiryuu paused. "What don't you understand, Sally Po?" he asked, without looking back at me.  
  
"Why - why did you call me a saint? I'm no saint -"  
  
He moved his head, his expression mirroring that of Wufei when Wufei was slightly amused. "You really didn't prepare her at all, Taru," he said, slightly chiding.  
  
"There was no time." Trowa's tone was mild, but had a defensive edge to it.  
  
"What does she know?"  
  
"Enough."  
  
Seiryuu laughed softly. "Fates. Utterly useless for information." He looked at me and leaned forward, patting a chair. "Sit."  
  
I immediately sat down.  
  
"I would offer you tea, but it doesn't exist anymore, so it would be pointless." He was definitely amused by something or another in that remark.  
  
I blinked. "What do you mean, it doesn't exist anymore?" I looked at Trowa, confused. "Where are we?"  
  
"In the past," he replied.  
  
"This is the past," Seiryuu continued, his voice calm and soothing. "It has already happened. However, because I am outside of time, I interact with you as if you were in the present. No one else can see of hear you."  
  
Bewildered didn't come close to explaining how I felt. "But ... but ... what about the children?"  
  
Seiryuu looked sad. "They have long since grown old, died, and turned to dust. All things pass." His look turned sadder yet. "It is ... one of the unique things about being human."  
  
"Which you are not." Trowa apparently felt it was his duty to remind Seiryuu that he was NOT human, nor would he ever BE human.  
  
"And you do not approve. Taru, I don't care."  
  
"You will. When she dies."  
  
"So you say." Seiryuu closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "The last of my children, you say?"  
  
"Yes. At present."  
  
"Then she will know. Come with me, saint."  
  
He turned and led us back through round doorways and latticed walls, to a bedroom that was draped with red and gold silk, luxuriant without being ostentatious. There was a woman in the bed; she was very pregnant and very beautiful. Her face, in repose, was lovely. She was sleeping, charcoal dark eyelashes sweeping across her cheeks.  
  
"My Lily," Seiryuu breathed. "The reason for which I came into Time and took on human form. The reason for which I stay."  
  
"She was your bride..?" I asked, wondering.  
  
"Is my bride," he corrected me. "I am here, as well as in the present with you."  
  
Trowa watched his face. "She will die."  
  
"So you say," Seiyruu whispered.  
  
"You will leave Time them."  
  
"Yes, I know. But I will come for my Children."  
  
"You have. Consistently."  
  
Seiryuu gave me a slightly wry look. "I do not know the written because I am in Time. Taru enjoys reminding me of that."  
  
"Then," I started slowly, "you can't know the written when you're actually part of it?"  
  
"No. You may know the written if you are not human, but that is not my place. I cannot know that."  
  
Seiryuu looked at the sleeping woman with absolute devotion on his face. I decided he seemed to have no problem living with his place in the Plan.  
  
"I'm sorry," I whispered, feeling for him.  
  
"It is long done. Not all the children I have produced are MY children - carry my blood. On occasion, it skips whole generations. Those who are mine are visibly so, of course."  
  
I looked at him, not understanding. He said that as if it was supposed to mean something to me. In fact, he was looking at me in an expectant way. It was supposed to mean something to me ...?  
  
"Well ... Wufei does look like you ..." I ventured.  
  
"Her Sight is asleep," Trowa broke in, explaining, looking a little guilty.  
  
Seiryuu glanced from me to Trowa and back.   
  
"Are things ... that bad?" he asked Trowa, looking at him again, his tone gentler.  
  
"You will see."  
  
He sighed. "Very well. Take her out and awaken her Sight."  
  
I looked at Trowa, confused. "Did I say something wrong?"  
  
"No, Sally Po. You said nothing wrong." Seiryuu turned back and glanced at his wife one more time with an adoring expression, then turned with Trowa and walked toward the main room. I followed them, wondering.  
  
"You are not the first to have been brought to me as I said, Sally Po, and you will likely not be the last. But he is going out of order." We stood in the main room of the house, one that was bare of furnishings other than two exquisite rugs covering the hardwood floor and four straight backed chairs surrounding an elegantly lacquered table.   
  
"I'm a bit out of my depth," I said, shaking my head.  
  
"You are a saint. What is meant by that, simply, is that you are pure of spirit. Do not think in human terms - they stole the term from us and corrupted it, badly."  
  
I blinked. "Who? Who stole it - do you mean humans?"  
  
Seiryuu smiled a little. "Not important. Taru, wake her up."  
  
"Yes, he meant humans. Look at me, please."  
  
Obediently, I turned my face up to Trowa's.  
  
"I showed you your ancestors. They are there, so close to this mountain range that belongs to the dragon clan, because they are special. They carry what you humans sometimes call second sight."  
  
I stared. "My - ancestors?"  
  
"Correct. They were, and are, healers of both body and soul."  
  
"I - I'm a doctor -"  
  
"Of course you are. Your heritage would permit nothing else. And you carry the sight, although you do not know it. Plus, your purity of spirit makes you a saint. I will show you what this means. Please hold still."  
  
I did. I held as still as possible, still looking up at Trowa.   
  
But I wasn't prepared for what happened next. He bent down and kissed me, right on the lips.  
  
I was shocked. And he took advantage of that by opening his lips, which pushed mine open, too.  
  
That's where any parallel to normal kissing ended, and extreme weirdness began.  
  
The last time Trowa touched me, he apologized because his essence was cold. In fact, he said, "Forgive me - my spirit is cold." There was no warning this time, and I don't know if it would have helped or not.   
  
That coldness slid into my body, tracing paths through my arms, my legs, my heart and lungs, my brain, every organ and limb I had simultaneously. And this time, it brought sight AND sound with it, and was so overwhelming it actually hurt - and it hurt badly. I was seeing and hearing everything in the world at once; I knew everything; when, what, how, why things happened ... and I thought I was going to go mad.   
  
Then it stopped, and everything was still. I realized that he had stopped kissing me; in fact, he had let go and had stepped back a pace. Now Trowa was peering at me, watching closely for ... something. Some kind of reaction? I didn't know. The only thing I knew was that there was no pain - finally, everything felt normal.  
  
Normal? Well ... maybe not. Not quite normal.   
  
I felt things. I could feel Seiryuu's children outside, their happiness and glee; I felt his wife and her unborn child in the other room, sleeping quietly. And there was an enormous presence - something that was staggeringly large, something so terribly big that it was frightening, standing just behind me. Waiting.   
  
"You should look at him. He does not hide his essence, as I do."  
  
Slowly, I turned around and looked. It was incredible.  
  
Seiryuu was standing behind me, looking the same as he did when I walked into his home. But woven in and around his body, so much so that it was a living, breathing, part of him, was a full grown, translucent dragon. Its shiny, bright orange scales were beautiful; the long scales along its spine flexed slowly as he breathed, every movement shooting a prism of light into a different direction. The dragon's deep faceted jade green eyes regarded me, unblinking.  
  
"So now you see me?" Seiryuu asked.  
  
"It's ... magnificent ... " I trailed off, awestruck.  
  
Seiryuu favored me with an amused look. The dragon tossed his head and snorted.  
  
"It is?" Seiryuu asked with a smile. "I am."  
  
"You are looking at his soul, Sally Po," Trowa murmured.   
  
I felt my face getting warm. "Oh - I - beg your pardon," I said, watching the different hues of orange and gold race across along the dragon's scales as he shifted position, "but ... you're beautiful ..." As I tilted my head, I realized I could see the small table at the back of the room right through the dragon's body.  
  
"Yes. I am," Seiryuu said, amused. "All my children are."  
  
Almost by its own volition, my hand reached out to touch his side. Immediately, a low, rumbling sound issued from the dragon's throat; that sound was familiar to me, too. Something that wasn't exactly threatening, really, just a warning; and with it came a feeling I knew, a feeling that happened every now and then. That prickly, uncomfortable feeling I had when I did something I knew I shouldn't do. Apparently, there was a reason for it.   
  
"Do not touch me," Seiryuu said. "You would be destroyed."  
  
I drew my hand back quickly, my eyes wide.  
  
He looked at me, a small, speculative gleam in his eyes. "Do not hide your hand, Sally Po. Hold it out, and look at it."  
  
Hesitantly, I held my right hand out in front of myself and looked down at it. Around my arm, wrist and fingers, at least six inches wide on all sides, was a soft, powder blue light. I passed my left hand over my fingers, barely touching them - and I felt a warm, tingling sensation as my hand passed through the light, the light spilling between each finger. It emanated from my skin, and was such a beautiful color; it almost looked like mist.  
  
"What - what is that?"  
  
"Your soul. Your aura, really, since human souls do not stretch beyond their bodies, but their auras do. It's simply what your soul gives off." Seiryuu smiled at me, his dark eyes gentle.  
  
"Everyone has this?" I examined my hand and arm in awe, blinking. It seemed absolutely incredible that suddenly I could see this - this manifestation of my soul. But this physical manifestation has far reaching implications for me, farther than I wanted to pursue at that point. My faith and belief had been placed squarely in what I could see, and touch, and measure - and that certainly wasn't my soul, or anyone else's, for that matter. This was getting a little too personal.  
  
"Every...? Ah, I see. No, Sally Po. Humans do. Some non-humans do. However, it is mostly a human thing."  
  
"You - you do not?" I glanced quickly at Trowa.  
  
"Do you see one, Sally?"  
  
"No. But I feel something ..." I answered, frowning a little. It was strange. I could not see anything, but I had the feeling of something ... immense. Not the same type of feeling from Seiryuu, but large, all the same.  
  
"Different. You feel. This is good." Trowa nodded at me, looking pleased.  
  
"Look at the window, please, Sally Po," directed Seiryuu.  
  
I turned to look, and caught Trowa frowning at Seiryuu.  
  
"Since you skimped on her education, Taru, I am doing it for you." Seiryuu raised an eyebrow at Trowa, very definitely amused.  
  
Turning my attention to the people outside, I watched the children race around outside with each other and then run around the adults trying to supervise them. All the people outside had auras of differing shapes, sizes, and colors - but I noticed that not one of them had an aura of solid color, nor one that was as wide as mine. Not one was in the shape of an animal, or a dragon, either, as Seiryuu's was.   
  
"They - they're all different - yet none are like mine, nor yours," I said, nodding to Seiryuu.  
  
"Correct," he rumbled, seemingly pleased that I had noticed. "'Normal' people have auras that barely go beyond their skin." He pointed at a woman standing near the back of the garden. "See the servant in the green silk? She is very nice, but not Important. Her aura is barely an inch wide. That is the norm." He gestured to everyone outside. "None of these are truly my Children, or their auras would be different as well, if they were awake."  
  
I frowned a little, looking outside, then down at my own hand. "But ... but mine is wider ..."  
  
"Yes," he agreed, nodding, "because you are Important. Come with me." He gestured back toward the bedroom and walked in that direction, expecting me to follow.   
  
I did, wondering. Important? Important to what? I wasn't important, not really. People had been trained to take my place in case I was captured by OZ; I specifically made sure I wasn't important to the organization, not in that way. I wanted everyone to go on if anything ever happened to me.  
  
Following Seiryuu, I saw the light from the room twist and bend around his body, throwing him into silhouette, before I drew close. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if there was a fire in there - then I realized the light was golden. Seiryuu opened the door; golden light streamed through the door, so much so that it was almost blinding. I couldn't see the ends of this aura, it was all just light ...  
  
"You see why I fell in love with her," Seiryuu murmured softly, next to me.  
  
I nodded, squinting, holding up my hand. "She is beautiful. And the light - her aura is so - lovely. Calming. Restful - "  
  
"Mine," he breathed, adoration in his voice.  
  
"Fool," Trowa sighed.  
  
"You are no better," Seiryuu said with a dry look toward Trowa.  
  
"I have done nothing."  
  
"You have chosen to be near him."  
  
Trowa was silent, looking at Seiryuu.  
  
I decided that my silence was the better part of valor, and chose to be silent. Besides, I was fairly sure I knew who Seiryuu meant.  
  
"Those who are important ... have greater auras," Seiryuu continued, turning to me as if our conversation had never been interrupted. "The magnitude of their souls is shown in their auras. The colors indicate their nature. The solidity indicates purity - the sureness of mind and heart, a solidity of person."  
  
"So - so that's why you called me a saint," I said, blinking in surprise. "Treize called me the same thing. Does that mean that he -"  
  
"We are out of time," Trowa announced. And suddenly, I wasn't there anymore - in fact, the room was spinning, things were melting together, it was cold, and I didn't know where I was at all.  
  
But I did hear Seiryuu's parting words in my head:  
  
~~Take good care of my Child, Sally Po - or else you will see me again when I come to take his soul as he dies, and I will not be pleased.~~  
  
I felt real pain. "I will take care of him, Seiyruu," I promised, whispering. I had no idea how I was going to keep that promise, but I knew I had to try - I had to keep Wufei safe. I protected Seiryuu's Child, after all.  
  
When next I opened my eyes, Trowa and I were together in the same room in Treize's mansion, this time standing next to the windows, looking out over the lawn. I had no idea how much time had passed since we started; I felt a little woozy and tired.  
  
"I have taken too much time," Trowa said, glancing over at the door. He patted my shoulder and gave me the ghost of a smile, his eyes dark and serious. "We will speak later."  
  
"Trowa, wait. What -"  
  
- and he was gone. No smoke, no flash of light, nothing like that. Just ... gone. Disappeared. One moment there, the next ... not.  
  
I stared at the spot in front of the window where he had been, trying to force myself to visualize him there again, when the door was flung open.  
  
"So there you are."  
  
I whirled around and stared at the Special who strode into the room, his gun slung across his back. Staring at me, he growled into his shoulder microphone, "Found her. No problems. She was just in one of the upstairs libraries."  
  
"...I ..." I couldn't think of anything to say as I watched him clomp across the room, small, nondescript colors flaring around his wrist and fingers. His aura was so weak that it barely reached through his clothing. It was waving, undulating slightly, and looked slightly fuzzy.  
  
"Let somebody know where you're going the next time. The kid was looking for you." He frowned, stepped back and waited for me to leave the room. No chance for me to tell him that I'd be there in a moment, or right away.   
  
"Wufei was looking for me?"  
  
"Yeah. The kid." He nodded sharply as we walked down the hall toward Wufei's room, escorting me as far as his door, making sure I was there and that I knocked before turning smartly on his heel and leaving.  
  
"Wufei? Are you there?"  
  
Opening the door, Wufei appeared, dressed in orange silk, and looked at me in undisguised relief. "Sally. Come here. Now." He drew me into the room, pulling on my wrist, led me over to a chair in front of the video cabinet. "Sit down and look at this," he ordered, pushing me into the chair as he pointed the remote at the cabinet.   
  
"What am I looking at?"  
  
Rather than staring at the vidfeed, I stared covertly at Wufei. I was amazed at the aura encircling him. There was no dragon, at least none that I could see; but his aura was swirling red and black, not quite as thick as mine, with edges of purple that reminded me of bruising. All in all, it was impressive. Something about it, though, struck me as unhealthy. As I peered at him, I could see his pallor was very pale and his eyes looked huge.  
  
"Wufei - Wufei, what's wrong? What am I looking at?"  
  
"War," he answered, his gaze fastened to the viewscreen. 


	28. Chapter 27

Tapestry, Chapter 27  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"War? What do you mean, war?"  
  
Wufei merely pointed to the screen and sat down on his bed, shaking his head. Following his gaze, I saw a uniformed reporter, his pale face superimposed across the vivid orange and black of a blazing fire, describing the scene in grisly detail.  
  
".... reporting from L6. For those of you just joining our broadcast, the colonies wish to reiterate they had no prior knowledge - that is, NO prior knowledge - of any attack. All damage was inflicted by an individual or individuals working without the knowledge of and not under the auspices of the colonies - "  
  
I sat straighter in the chair, not believing what I heard, staring at the screen in undisguised horror.  
  
"Sources revealed that at least one gundam, possibly more, attacked the A quadrant in the L6 sector. At this time not all reports are in and evidence is extremely sketchy. However, information gathered has shown extensive damage in the northern and western sections of the quadrant, so much so that all surviving colonists have been gathered and evacuated to the Hayabusa-Kariudo center near Hogo. They will be ..."  
  
The announcer droned on. I ignored him. My gaze was riveted on the carnage at the scene - what looked like a city was blasted to oblivion on a dead, smoking plain. Without warning, another image was superimposed across mounds of oily, thick black smoke and jets of crimson flame. It was a machine that was large and formidable, unaffected by lasers or energy cannons. Power crackled across its hull, shining an incandescent, brilliant blue. There was so much excess energy that the machine's own circuits had no use for it.  
  
That fearsome machine was a gundam. In fact, it was Sandrock.  
  
The only sounds in the room were the reporter's bland voice and my labored breathing. Wufei appeared to have himself under control, but just barely. We both were stunned, speechless, staring at the vidscreen.   
  
"I don't understand." My voice sounded hoarse and rusty. This couldn't be happening. It was impossible. Sandrock was Quatre's gundam, and Quatre's gundam was - somewhere else.  
  
"Neither do I."  
  
I slowly shook my head. "Duo said - Duo said he knew where Sandrock was ..."  
  
"So do we - and so does the rest of the world. And that's Quatre inside."  
  
"Wufei. That can't be. That's impossible. What's going on?" I asked, my voice breaking a little.  
  
"I don't know," he responded, his own voice low. "But you'd better put on some good clothing."  
  
I frowned at him, not understanding. "What? Why?"  
  
Sharp, insistent rapping interrupted us. Treize opened the door and strode into the room, his keen gaze locked on Wufei. "Are you both ready?"  
  
I turned and stared, quite beyond masking any reaction. Here was the Treize from the news broadcasts; strong, stern, and completely in control, dressed in full military regalia. He was even wearing that ridiculous side cape thing.  
  
Yes, and it goes quite nicely with the rest of the outfit, wouldn't you say?  
  
I blinked and swallowed. That voice - that voice was in my head again. Gads, I was NOT going to think about that at all.   
  
"I - I'll get ready now ... Treize ..." I stood, not finishing my thought as I stared at him and his - aura.  
  
Aura? Well, not quite. I didn't even know what to call it, since Trowa told me he wasn't human, and only humans had auras. Whatever it was - his presence, for lack of a better word, I suppose - filled the entire room.  
  
And no, I'm not exaggerating. That would be the entire room.   
  
It was an amazing color; there wasn't a word to describe it. Mostly it was bronze with gold and red intertwined, swirling gently. It looked nothing at all like a human aura; it was beautiful and mesmerizing at the same time. No human could possibly produce something like that.   
  
Treize nodded, then looked at us. "Please hurry. The debriefing is in twenty minutes." He turned and walked out of the room, leaving the door open.  
  
Breathing deeply, telling myself to be calm, I looked down at my hands and had another shock. That lovely, powder blue color surrounding my body was now tinged with Treize's color. I flexed my hand a little. Sure enough, his bronze hue splashed the edges everywhere, even between my fingers.   
  
Not Wufei's aura, though. Wufei's aura was untouched by Treize's color. Totally. Untouched.   
  
Gods.  
  
"We have to appear with him?" I tried not to sound plaintive, but failed miserably.  
  
"Sort of. We have to be present - as part of the proof of a peace offering. This attack is without either colony or OZ approval." Wufei's expression was closed, his mouth a tight, hard line. "This is possibly the worst thing that Quatre could have done."  
  
"I can't believe Quatre did it. In fact, I don't believe it." I glanced at the doorway, looking after Treize. "I'd better hurry. I'll meet you downstairs."  
  
Wufei grunted, his attention back on the screen. I closed the door softly on the way out.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Treize was still in front of me as I made my way back to my room. So were his Specials; they littered the hallway like so much flotsam. It was obvious that something out of the ordinary was happening, but those soldiers were too well trained to give any indication as to what that was.   
  
I paused at the stairway and watched Treize stride past his soldiers, speaking quietly with several of them, including Une, looking as if everything was completely normal.   
  
For me, though, it wasn't normal. My newfound sight was a blessing and a curse; a blessing, because now I could see why certain things happened the way they did, and a curse because I couldn't act on that knowledge. I had to pretend as if I knew nothing at all, could see nothing at all.  
  
But I could see - and what I saw was frightening.   
  
Treize's 'aura' mingled with anyone else's who was near him, to the point where theirs were overwhelmed. Very little of their own color was left; most of it was Treize's. All his Specials' auras were similar - brown or gray streaked through with varying shades of green - but when Treize passed, theirs took his color almost instantly. Not only that, but I could tell that their emotions were affected as well as their auras. Those shining, devoted gazes staring at the general as he passed gave them away.  
  
And explained a lot. How many times did I feel as though something odd was happening to me whenever he was close? Gods. I thought I was going crazy, or having a high hormonal day ... and all the time, it was this. I felt both cheated and vindicated, somehow.  
  
Une, trotting next to him, managed to look both officious and devoted at the same time. Her normal aura was a thick, dull gray, one that resembled smoldering ash. Treize inclined his head and spoke softly to her; she immediately stopped, nodded, made a notation on her clipboard and watched him walk down the hallway toward the front door.   
  
Everyone else's aura lost Treize's color the farther away they were from him, even mine. I glanced at my hand - the edges of my aura were solid blue again. Not Une's, though. Even though Treize wasn't there, his color still stained her smoky color, heavy bronze mixing with mottled gray.   
  
Realization hit me in a moment. No wonder Une was so completely devoted to Treize. In that instant, I felt sorry for her. It explained so much - she had absolutely no control over what she did or how she felt about that man.  
  
I hurried up the stairs to my room, figuring I only had about five minutes to change before I needed to be out with Wufei. Somber navy blue was the color for the day; I yanked the pantsuit out the closet and stuffed my legs into the trousers, my mind reeling from a new realization -   
  
- Treize didn't know I could see auras.   
  
Seeing auras wasn't something that was terribly surprising to me on a gut level; after all, I had had those feelings all along. Now I had a visual statement, a confirmation of my suspicions. It was nice to know I wasn't crazy, even if I was the only one who knew. The fact that Treize didn't realize this was an advantage, and I hoped to keep that advantage for a little while. He's going to treat me the same way, I reasoned, so I'll still have the same 'freedoms,' as dubious as they were. It was small, but at least it was something.  
  
And something, I had learned, was infinitely preferable to nothing.  
  
Rummaging for my shoes, I mused about Wufei. Why, I wondered, why wasn't his aura a dragon, as Seiryuu's was? His colors weren't even the same. Plus, Trowa mentioned something about 'awakening;' I had no clue what that meant. Scowling, I looked under the bed for the other shoe, thinking that it was all very cryptic and frustrating and I just didn't have TIME to focus on it now. It would simply have to wait.  
  
Snagging my shoe, I shoved my foot into it and literally tripped outside, only to be surprised by Une standing outside my bedroom door. She grabbed my upper arm and dragged me through the hall. That woman would have yanked me through the halls by my ears like a recalcitrant child if she thought she could get away with it. I stumbled next to her, my previous sympathies evaporating into thin air. All my old antipathy stormed back. Gads, she was such a bitch.  
  
Still not saying a word, she shoved me out the front door, down the path and right to the waiting black helicopter, her attitude frosty and cold. Thrusting me forward into the hands of the waiting Specials on board, she hissed, "You two are here for the express purpose of proving that Lord Treize is in control. If either of you do anything to shame him, I will personally tranquilize you. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, Une," I spat out, glaring at her, "that's perfectly clear."   
  
Several large soldiers hauled me into the helicopter and pushed me unceremoniously into a seat across from Treize. He was talking on his cellphone; he didn't acknowledge me, but did wave one hand to his staff. All at once, the soldiers immediately found somewhere to sit; as I strapped myself into the seat, the engines roared, the rotors sprang to life, the ship leaped skyward and we were airborne.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It seems as if your comrade has killed somewhere in excess of four million people."  
  
Treize snapped the lid of his cellphone closed and turned to look at Wufei and me. He looked tired; shadows under his eyes were more pronounced, and his general demeanor was weary. But his aura, if that's what it was, filled the entire helicopter with its glow. It hadn't changed; if anything, the color had deepened and become more robust. Everyone was affected - all the Specials, the support personnel - even me, to a lesser extent.  
  
Everyone except Wufei. He was sitting across from Treize; pristine, pure, uncontaminated, his aura swirling red and black, tension and strain in every line of his body.  
  
"Gods," Wufei whispered, closing his eyes.  
  
"I - I can't believe it," I murmured, shocked.  
  
"Believe it. That's the conservative estimate." Treize closed his eyes and leaned back against his seat. "I know that was not what was intended. Something has gone wrong."  
  
"What - what do you mean?" I asked him, frowning.   
  
He opened his eyes and looked directly at me, his blue gaze penetrating. "You. The pilots. Are not like this. This ...." He sighed again, shaking his head slightly against the upholstered seat. "Something is wrong."  
  
I tried not to stare at him, but I couldn't help it. He knew - somehow, he knew what was wrong, and he was simply acting the part of the perplexed autocrat. There was no sign of regret at all in his aura; in fact, it simply glowed a little brighter.   
  
"Quatre..."  
  
Wufei murmured softly, almost to himself. I dragged my gaze away from Treize and looked at him, concerned. His aura - that vibrant, pulsing red and black aura that encircled him - had a thin line of what looked like purple bruising winding through it. And if that wasn't enough to raise my hackles, the poor boy was shaking from tension, his eyes huge and dark.  
  
I put my hand on his arm, trying to give him some reassurance, some encouragement. "Wufei ..."  
  
He didn't answer me; silent, he looked out the window and sighed. Bowing my head, I glanced at my hand on his arm, and saw something interesting.   
  
He didn't move at all. His aura, though, did.  
  
From what I had observed, auras really didn't interact with each other. Everyone had their own, and their own stayed around their bodies, even when people were in direct contact with each other. However, that's not the way Wufei's acted; his actually moved toward me, the entire amorphous mass shifted in my direction.  
  
I smiled a little, my gaze lowered. That meant that he knew I was there for him, and he not only needed my support, but welcomed it. Instinctively, I knew it; I felt it before, but this gave me a visual confirmation.   
  
Triumph. Joy. I was right. Wufei did need me. I could help him.  
  
I glanced up at that point, right into Treize's eyes.   
  
And was caught again.   
  
I looked back helplessly as Treize regarded me with a piercing, thoughtful gaze, a small smile playing about his lips. Could he see into my mind? I swore there were times when he could, and this felt like one of them. Plus, that feeling I had whenever I was close to him - that constant need my body had to sway into him, the ache for him to touch me, was back in force. It was almost a weird submission thing; it would be so much easier if I simply stopped fighting and gave into that feeling.  
  
"Wufei," Treize murmured.  
  
The muscles in his forearm tensed as Treize said his name; I could feel it. At the same time, his aura flared, and dear gods, if I thought mine was large in comparison to the average person, Wufei's was huge. It exploded outward like a solar flare, then settled about him, waving slowly like a flame in the wind.  
  
"You may have to speak against your fellow pilot."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because otherwise you will be condemned as a group."  
  
"That's ridiculous," I snapped, leaning over Wufei toward Treize. I hadn't any intention of pushing into his conversation, but I didn't like what he was doing to Wufei. At all. And I certainly wasn't going to let him do it to Wufei in front of me.  
  
"I'm surprised. You are a student of mob psychology, Ms. Po. Between four and seven million people have just been murdered by a gundam pilot. I think this should be clear, even to you." Treize refused to drop his gaze, instead holding mine for a long moment. "If you wish, Sally, we will wait - but if the pilots as a whole are condemned, my word alone will not save them."  
  
I sucked in my breath, ready to do battle, but then realized what he said was ... right.   
  
Wow. My fingers curled. I hated him more now than I ever had before. He took my automatic reflex - my anger - away from me so thoroughly and completely that it left me speechless. There was nothing I could say in rebuttal to him, nothing that would make sense, nothing that wouldn't sound petty and ignorant - certainly nothing that would help Wufei.  
  
"You have no idea why this pilot went insane, do you? Then why couldn't it have been someone from your own organization piloting that piece of machinery? Why are you so positive it was Quatre?"  
  
"Because no one from OZ knew where that particular piece of machinery was, and I would have no reason to order an attack on the colonies."  
  
"Fuck you," Wufei muttered, not looking at him. He didn't mean it, though. His aura retreated from Treize, drawing tight around his body, a sheath around a sword.  
  
"Wufei. Please." Treize's voice was gentle but he was relentless. "Unless you want your fellow pilots condemned - and I know you do not - "  
  
"I'll do it. Shut up."  
  
Treize sighed and leaned back with a long-suffering, weary expression, closing his eyes for a brief moment. To everyone else, he looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders; the leader of OZ in an unguarded moment.  
  
But I knew better. Inside, that bastard was laughing. I could see it in the reddish-bronze glow of the ship, in the way he tilted his head, the way his eyelashes shadowed his cheeks. Laughing at the pain and misery in our world.  
  
Laughing, damn him. Laughing at us.  
  
My hatred grew. I thought it would burst out of my chest and strangle me, it was so strong. I wished it would strangle him. If there was anything as evil and horrid in the world as Treize, I had yet to meet it. Trowa never did tell me exactly what he was, but I had ideas, and none of them were pleasant. All of them involved a being terribly strong, one that could squash either Wufei or me in an instant.  
  
It was hard to catch my breath. I felt like I was hyperventilating, rage at him and pure adrenaline pushing my system into overdrive. Well, fuck him and everything like him. I didn't care - I was never going to stop fighting. That was a promise I intended to take with me to my grave. Just let him try to touch me or Wufei. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I was going to do something, and I wasn't going to be put off by his not being human, either.   
  
We were landing. I felt my stomach lurch with the change in pitch of the rotor sound, synchronized perfectly. Flickering blue light sparkled on the edge of my vision; I thought it was some kind of guidance beacon, and glanced through the window on Wufei's side to see.   
  
I blinked. There was no beacon, only the beginnings of dusk blurring the edges of the sky. Then what did I see? Frowning, I looked down at my arm, lying next to Wufei's, and stared in shocked surprise. My aura looked like seaweed caught in a violent underwater storm, undulating wildly back and forth, nearly giving off sparks itself. Its color was as clear and pure as the sky on a bright summer's day, untouched by that pervasive bronze cast that surrounded everything else.  
  
I frowned a moment and I looked down, thinking. My mind cleared and I felt more like myself when I was angry. Anger. Did that mean that -  
  
Treize leaned forward suddenly and put his hand over mine and Wufei's, dwarfing both in his grasp.  
  
Wufei snapped his head around and stared at Treize, horrified; he tried to yank his hand back, but Treize held him as easily as he held me.   
  
"Please. Be on your best behavior." He squeezed my hand and Wufei's, then rose and left us immediately, disappearing into a sea of Specials. I could see flashes of bright light winking outside the craft, throwing odd, grotesque shadows against the hull.  
  
Wufei stared after him, his jaw set, his lips a tight, compressed line. "Let's go," he snapped, rising and pulling me to my feet at the same time.   
  
Waiting Specials pulled on my arm, thrusting me from the darkness of the helicopter into a cold ocean of bright lights and bristling overhead microphones. Straining, avaricious reporters, eager to snag a story, shouted questions at Treize, then me, and finally at anyone they saw, hoping to goad someone into making one angry slip.  
  
Right. As if his no-necked soldiers were going to answer them. And big fat chance that I'd be allowed to open my mouth at all. One look at Treize's back reminded me in whose company I was and who was in charge. I narrowed my eyes and kept walking.  
  
Once they saw Wufei, though, they forgot about anyone else and surged toward him, flashbulbs popping. A general hum and murmur rippled from one side of the crowd to the other, touching everyone. Phrases like "it's that gundam pilot Treize is reforming" and "he's so generous to those people" sprang across the out at me. I could feel them staring, malicious and hostile, and squared my shoulders. Fuck them. They were the sheep and Treize was the border collie, nipping, goading, and maneuvering them wherever he wanted.   
  
Hate - that's what I felt for Treize. Nothing but pure hate and damned impotence at being able to DO nothing. I glared from the safety of my Specials escort, wishing that something would happen to make that man spontaneously burst into flame.  
  
No such luck. In fact, what I did see made me ill.  
  
Treize waited for silence, standing behind the microphone, a commanding, imposing figure. As he started to speak, his presence - a sinuous, dense cloud - crept over everyone in the room, staining human auras with that peculiar bronze hue and mesmerizing those it touched. Mine, however, was a clear, pure blue. My anger was keeping me company as I watched those around me smile and nod with him, entranced.  
  
He was extremely good at making speeches, and this one was no exception. It was witty, clever and moving; he said exactly what the crowd wanted to hear, and they loved him. Treize wasn't saying anything objectionable. In fact, he was reminding everyone that even if misguided, the gundam pilots had been fighting for the colonies with the blessing of the colonies.   
  
It was awful. There was no natural defense against him; only Wufei appeared to be immune. Even I was vulnerable. Slowly, slowly, I felt my resistance and antipathy toward him start to slip away, replaced with confusion and chagrin.  
  
After he finished, he calmly looked at the crowd. "Questions?" he invited.  
  
Eager hands shot up; shouts of "General! General!" came from every corner of the room. Treize fielded them all, effortlessly.   
  
Finally, someone asked The Question.   
  
"General Khushrenada - what about this gundam pilot you're supposedly reforming? What does he have to say about all this? And does his opinion affect you?"  
  
"Wufei. Come here, please." Treize looked at Wufei and beckoned him forward.  
  
Wufei swallowed once and left his cadre of Specials, walking steadily through the crowd toward the dais. His aura was tightly controlled, leashed like a hound - but he was absolutely calm as he threaded his way to the microphone. It struck me at that moment that he was fine. In fact, he had been fine when he was living there with Treize before I woke up, and he was fine now.   
  
I shook my head a little to clear it. Then what was this irrational desire I had all the time to protect him, especially from Treize? I squinted a little bit and watched.  
  
"I am Chang Wufei, from L5."  
  
The muttering stopped completely when Wufei ascended the stairs to the stage. Another low, murmuring rumble skimmed across the throng; and this time, there was nothing friendly about it.   
  
"I piloted the gundam 05," he continued. "I would pilot it again, if given half a chance, to fight OZ. But I would never do what this ... person ... has done. None of us would. I don't know who the pilot is, but he's not one of us."  
  
The crowd stared back at him, not sure how to react. Treize laughed softly, relieving some of the tension.  
  
"As you can see, HIS mind is obviously unchanged," he said, speaking directly into the microphone, his tone droll. Laughter tinkled around the room. Treize smiled disarmingly and continued. "However, I think you can see where this leaves us ..."  
  
I stopped listening at that point. Wufei's aura looked like black and red paint spilled on a bronze canvas, a dark smudge completely untouched in a sea of burnished copper. He was edging back from the crowd, obviously not wanted to be there. Treize glanced once in his direction; he stopped moving immediately.  
  
" ... I cannot emphasize enough that the guilty parties will be found and punished. Our people will not be slaughtered and held hostage by terrorists and rebels with no conscience ..."  
  
Finally, Treize turned the balance of the briefing over to Une. He acknowledge the applause from the crowd and left the podium.  
  
"Come along, Wufei," he said as he passed him. Wufei turned and walked after him, scowling.  
  
"Whipped little cur, isn't he?" one man smirked as they passed.  
  
Wufei automatically started after the man, his aura flaring nova.  
  
"Wufei," Treize said evenly without turning around.  
  
Glowering, Wufei turned and fell in step behind Treize. My escort pushed me after them, and we walked briskly back to the helicopter.  
  
"You were superb, Wufei," I murmured, catching up with him.  
  
He only glanced at me, saying nothing, his jaw clenched. We strode back to the landing pad in silence and were hustled inside behind Treize. The door had hardly closed when the craft leaped smoothly into the air, pushing us back into our seats.   
  
"Well. That wasn't a bad two hours, was it?"  
  
Wufei refused to answer, pointedly angling his shoulder and body toward the window of the helicopter. Treize studied him with a thoughtful expression.   
  
"Wufei."  
  
The boy turned from the darkness outside and looked at Treize. " ... yes?" he asked, barely civil.  
  
"Meet me in the training room after we land. I think we both have some stress to work off, and I would like to talk to you about something."  
  
"Whatever," Wufei muttered, snorting slightly. He turned back to the window, dismissing Treize from his thoughts.  
  
I wished I could do that as easily. I quickly looked at Treize through lowered lashes, just to see his reaction; a tiny smile touched his lips, one I almost didn't catch.   
  
"You did well, Wufei. You were honest."  
  
"Of course I was," Wufei snapped back, annoyed, his aura flaring just a little.   
  
"I appreciate that. I know I can trust you to be true to yourself."  
  
Now Wufei gave Treize a long, slow glare, obviously incensed. "I am true to the truth."  
  
"Hai," Treize answered, doubt coloring his tone.  
  
Wufei blinked, his aura flaring more. "I am."  
  
"And that is ...?"  
  
A small hiss through his teeth was Wufei's only response.   
  
I wasn't looking directly at Treize; I couldn't. The burnished glow that filled the ship deepened in color as he spoke to Wufei. What on earth was he doing, goading Wufei like that? And what could he possibly want to discuss with Wufei, especially since he said they'd be chatting after Wufei tried to kill him yet again?   
  
There would be no point. Wufei would get all worked up, and ...  
  
Then it hit me. I knew what Treize wanted to talk to Wufei about - in fact, I knew what he wanted to do, probably during that little 'sparring' match and certainly afterwards. I shifted my gaze and tried to keep my expression carefully neutral. Wufei was glaring out the window at the dark sky, his aura steady and bright. He had no suspicions about what Treize had in mind.  
  
No suspicions whatsoever. And that's because Treize was 'always honest' with him. Always honest, indeed.  
  
Treize crossed his legs, sprawling slightly against the leather seats, a heavy, feline grace about him. I felt a shudder work its way down my spine; he reminded me so much of a lion before feeding time that it was uncanny. A large, hungry, predator cat sitting in the seat across from me.  
  
"And you, Sally? Any opinions on the night's proceedings?"  
  
A frosty glance in his direction was my initial response. Feigning unconcern, I turned my attention to my hands and murmured, "No. I thought Wufei was quite eloquent and succinct."  
  
So there. And so was I.  
  
"Which I appreciate," Treize nodded, agreeing, another small smile on his lips. "I do believe it was fairly obvious he had not been affected by Me."  
  
Oh, I heard that capital letter. Involuntarily, I snatched my gaze back, rattled. "Ex - excuse me?" What kind of 'Me' was he talking about?  
  
"Pardon? Is something not clear?" Treize tilted his head and looked at me, waiting politely for a response.   
  
A beat passed as we stared at each other. "Ah ... no," I finally said, looking away. "Wufei does have his own opinions, which do not appear to have been affected by yours."   
  
Treize nodded. "As I said ... a wonderful thing. Of course, they might wonder if MINE had been affected by HIS. However, I do believe that ... well." He seemed to consider for a moment. "Perhaps it's false. I wonder, though ... "  
  
"I doubt very much, Treize, that anyone believes you could be influenced by anything at all," I retorted, stiff. I was lucky I didn't roll my eyes at him. What absolute drivel. He couldn't actually think I believed his innocent act, could he?  
  
"Indeed?" His tone and inflection made me look at him involuntarily; and there I was, caught again by the intensity of his gaze. "Many have said such things over the years."  
  
Nonchalant - act nonchalant, Sally. "They've said you've been influenced by outside sources?" I shrugged. "Were they correct?"  
  
"Of course. I am always learning, always growing. I had already changed my opinion on the gundam pilots."  
  
"Oh? In what way?" It was his dime - if he wanted to spill it, I'd listen.  
  
"Their nobility - their strength - their singularity of purpose. I have wondered, at times, if I am wrong."  
  
Right. Oh, of course, I believed that. "Well, I'm sure that time will tell whether or not you're wrong." I smiled easily, keeping my emotions in check. It wouldn't do at ALL to be in the middle of one conversation just to find that the true conversation was concerning something else.   
  
"Time will always tell. It is the harsh judge that man can never escape, no matter what his personal philosophy."  
  
I blinked slowly, staring at him. "Very true. We will all die one day - there is an end to everything, eventually..."  
  
"Yes - although some feel that an ending is really just a beginning - a new beginning. There is no ending, no mourning ... it simply begins something new. And new does not necessarily mean wrong or evil."  
  
"I - suppose ... " I said guardedly, feeling cold. This was actually making sense, in a weird way, and I didn't like that. I didn't like agreeing with him.  
  
"You have not had that experience, Sally? I am sorry for you."  
  
He sounded completely sincere, and that confused me even more. "What - what do you mean? Having one phase of my life end, and another begin - start my life again from ashes?" How incredibly bizarre - what on earth did he think I was doing?  
  
"Yes, that's just what I mean," he answered, leaning forward, looking fervent. "The process of the phoenix."  
  
"But of course I've had that experience. None of us are what we were when we began this journey."  
  
"Exactly," Treize nodded. "So many think that change is the 'end.' That simply because something is different or new that is it somehow WRONG. But Sally," he continued, leaning toward me, looking directly into my eyes, "I do not believe that this is true. Life would have no meaning, otherwise, because life requires change."   
  
I wasn't going to let him draw me into whatever plan he had. "Some people feel that any change is justifiable - when, in fact, the true reason for the change they want is to end their own ennui." Like you, I nearly screamed at him.   
  
"Absolutely. Many do feel that way. I think it is those people who make the rest of us feel threatened by change." His response put himself neatly outside of those who wanted change for change's sake, or just for themselves.   
  
"I'm not sure if 'threatened' is the best word for the way people feel about change. Possibly, it's also the type of change and upheaval in their lives that affects their outlook." I was calm, collected, trying a different tack to get my point across.  
  
"Excellent point! Especially when so often that change affects what they view to be unchangeable. Morality, or beauty, for example."  
  
Gads - how annoying was THIS? Now the man was agreeing with everything I said, no matter how carefully I stepped around and over his words. I couldn't disagree with him now - I'd look like a complete idiot, and in front of the helicopter crew, his people, again. His supporters. His audience.   
  
~~Ah, well ... limit it to that in your mind, if you wish. But you're privileged to witness this Project, one of the largest in quite a long time.~~  
  
I stared at my hands and felt the blood rush away from my face. Treize continued to prattle on about morality and beauty and such, but the only thing I could think about was that voice in my head. I was sure it was Treize, especially after what Trowa told me. I didn't have concrete proof, but I was fairly sure. Outwardly I was calm, but inside I was freaking out.   
  
The helicopter landed. Wufei was still staring out the window, and Treize was still talking.   
  
"I had no idea how much we thought alike, Sally," he said, patting me on my knee, smiling. "I need to rethink my policies. Such noble people cannot all be wrong." Treize rose, touching my shoulder, then turned and left. "Fifteen minutes, Wufei," he called over his shoulder. "Don't forget."  
  
Wufei sighed and rose, looking as if he'd been told to take out the garbage. "Hai."  
  
I stared after Treize, then looked up at Wufei in horror. He didn't get it - he seriously did NOT get what was going on.   
  
"Wufei," I hissed urgently, "Wufei, listen -"  
  
"Yes?" He stopped and looked at me, staring quizzically.   
  
"Um ..." I rose from my seat and walked off the aircraft with him, accepting help down to the tarmac from the waiting Specials. "Wufei, you have to be terribly careful tonight with Treize. I - I have a bad feeling about this," I finally said as we walked back to the main building. "If you get the opportunity - TAKE it. Don't hesitate."  
  
"Of course I will," he replied, automatic, not looking at me.  
  
I stared at him. He was tired, physically and mentally - emotionally drained because of this mess with Quatre, physically tired because of the stuff going on with me, and mentally exhausted from the combination of all circumstances. That wasn't good.  
  
"Wufei, you must be sharp." I tried again, desperate. "Don't let him take advantage of you."  
  
"As if he hasn't already?" he asked, his eyes closed for a moment. "I'm just his - his mouthpiece to the world."  
  
Exasperation rolled over me, right into my stomach. "No, no, no ... you don't understand -"  
  
" -so explain," he snapped, curt. He banged through one of the back doors and headed for his room, striding down the hallway.  
  
"Not in the hallway!" I trotted next to him, scowling at the soldiers on his other side. Gads, he wasn't THAT stupid, was he?  
  
"Fine," he shrugged, not noticing my glance. We walked in silence for a few more moments, just until we reached his bedroom. One dark glare at the Specials had them turning around and marching down the hallway; and it was only after they left that I started to speak, and speak quickly.   
  
"Look - Wufei. What if you told him you were too tired to fight right now? That you'd have a better fight in the morning? Don't you think that would be better for you?"  
  
He gave me an odd look. "But I'm not too tired to do this."  
  
I was becoming more upset by the moment. "No - but Wufei, you'd have more of an advantage if you fought him when you were fresh. If you fight him now, you're giving HIM all the advantage -"  
  
"No, I'm not," Wufei responded, clearly puzzled. "He's more tired than I am."  
  
I strove to keep my voice calm and not let my agitation show. "It's just - it's just that the press conference was exhausting, whether you realize it or not - and the news about Quatre was awful - and ..." I couldn't keep it in anymore. I finished vehemently, "and I just don't think you should fight with him tonight. At all."  
  
Wufei frowned slightly, then looked down, thinking. "You think I can't win? Is that it?" He wasn't accusing; it sounded as if he was asking for information.  
  
"No - no, Wufei, that's not it at all. I think Treize is taking advantage of you by making you fight tonight."  
  
Wufei rolled his eyes a little at me. "What's he going to do, pump me for information? Sally, we've done this before. It's called stress relief." He peered a little closer at me and frowned. "Tell me what's wrong. You know something I don't."  
  
What could I say? Don't go fight him, because he's going to seduce you? How ridiculous was that? "I ... I have this feeling, Wufei, that he's going to do something - awful - to you tonight. Don't go. Please, don't go."  
  
He stared back at me, his look piercing, his entire aura self contained, giving nothing away. "And what makes you think I deserve to be saved from him?" he asked softly, never looking away.  
  
A beat passed as we stared at each other. I felt my stomach lurch. "Wufei ... Wufei, you do," I answered, my voice as soft and low as his. "I feel it. I know it. I would protect you with my life -"  
  
"No," he snapped, wincing. I watched another purple line trace through his aura. "That's not necessary."  
  
"You have protected me countless times -"  
  
"I said, that's not necessary." He raised his voice slightly, just slightly, at the end, emphasizing every word. Apparently, this meant something to him, enough that he felt he needed to stress his prowess to me.  
  
"I understand, Wufei." I nodded and stepped back, my head down. "Please - please be careful tonight."  
  
"You are NOT dying for me! NOT for this!" Wufei was glaring at me, a combination of miserable and furious.   
  
Blinking, I looked at Wufei. I couldn't remember seeing him this upset in a long time. "No - Wufei, I won't. I'm not going to die right now. It's not my time."  
  
"Good." Wufei nodded again, then turned and marched into his bedroom and closed the door.  
  
I stared at it a few moments, then went to my own room, discouraged.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Thinking about Wufei made me feel absolutely crazy - was there nothing I could do, nothing that would stop whatever Treize was going to do? Leaving my clothes in a heap on the floor, I yanked dark blue shorts and a tee shirt out of my drawers, glad to be out of the formal clothes and into clothes that fit the weather. It wasn't 'balmy,' exactly, but it was pretty close.   
  
I walked onto the balcony and stood, motionless in the dark, listening to the waves tumble and crash on shore. Over and over, the rhythm soothing in its sameness and unvarying intensity, the sound of the surf lulled me. It was soothing. Calming. Something that helped clear my head, helped me understand what I needed to do.  
  
Even the training rooms in Luxembourg had observation windows and platforms. Maybe I couldn't be right there, but I'd certainly be there, in case Wufei needed me. I wasn't going to leave him undefended.   
  
I closed the door softly on my way out. I needed to hurry.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Luck was with me - no dogs were patrolling the hallways, nor were any Specials. I thought I heard Trowa's voice in my mind once or twice, reminding me of other ways to approach the training facilities. I ducked into those corridors without question, continuing toward the gymnasium. Sparring sounds - sharp, short breaths and feet moving rapidly across the floor - were more pronounced when I moved in those directions, meaning I was getting closer and they were still fighting. I wasn't too late.  
  
I reached the main doors, padded quickly past them and over to a side alcove. It was completely dark on that side; I pushed a pair of glass doors open and slipped into the training area, unnoticed by either Treize or Wufei. My gaze darted around until I found tall, deep shelves built into the wall . Given that there wasn't anything else for me to hide in or on, I slithered up the wall and onto the highest shelf I could reach, about seven feet off the floor. Surprisingly enough, there was plenty of room for me in there; enough that I could stretch out, move my legs, and still be able to feel reasonably comfortable. An excellent turn of events, especially if I needed to stay there for any length of time.  
  
After I situated myself, I turned my attention to the sparring partners on the floor; and after watching them for several minutes, I realized it certainly WAS a good thing that my shelf was so accommodating. I was going to be there a long time, if their behavior was any indication.  
  
Treize was in no hurry to end their sparring match. He was not teasing Wufei, nor was he baiting him, nor was he trying to overpower him. Treize was working him, continuing the match, keeping it going as long as he could. Wufei, for his part, was going all out - he simply knew no other way to fight. He either fought completely, heart and mind and soul, or not at all.  
  
I watched them for some time before I felt my eyelids start to droop. It was dark, and warm air circulated on the shelf; it was easy enough to doze, just a little. Sounds of fighting drifted up to me; I heard them stop several times to catch their breath, and then resume. Once it sounded as if they actually paused long enough to drink some water. Their attitudes seemed to indicate that it wasn't unusual at all.  
  
By the time I realized I had dozed off for a short while, it was clear that they had stopped sparring and were talking quietly. Soft speaking became part of my dream, the same as when I fell asleep in the back of a lecture hall. I really was tired, honestly; but there was a tangible feeling in the air, something that also seemed part of the dream. Words that, for one reason or another, didn't stay in the background as others did; words that, oddly enough, came through clearly.  
  
" ... for a purpose."  
  
"...But I'm ... I don't understand WHY," Wufei responded. Not arguing, either, simply looking for information.  
  
I felt comfortable; my eyes closed, listening.  
  
"Wufei. You really believe yourself to be worth so little?" Treize asked, his voice gentle.  
  
There was a long silence. Wufei did not answer. I stirred, feeling restless, the pit of my stomach responding for him.  
  
Soft laughter from Treize turned my blood cold. "Wufei. You know me by now. When have I ever spent my time on something not worthwhile?"   
  
Now I was feeling definitely uncomfortable, as this sounded familiar and I couldn't place why. It felt as though my heart pounded faster than normal. I opened my eyes and looked down at them.   
  
"But what do you see that you think IS? Just raw potential, or something? I'm hardly worth anything."  
  
"Failure does not change your worth, Wufei. The only thing failure indicates is that you encountered circumstances or individuals stronger than you."  
  
He turned his head and refused to look at Treize. Treize gave him a small smile, but didn't back off. They were sitting next to each other on one of those portable stretchers next to the main sparring area, quite a bit closer to each other than normal. Wufei's aura looked thoughtful and slightly confused, but not wary; it was wavy and tremulous, but not overtly so. Treize's, on the other hand, was frightening precisely because it was absent; there was no bronze color at all anywhere in the gymnasium.   
  
But behind him, deep in shadow, it looked as if there was ... were .... other things that ... no, really, I couldn't be sure, because that would just be ridiculous ... I leaned forward anyway, squinting, peering into the gloom, my heart definitely beating faster now. I clamped my jaw shut to stop my teeth from chattering. My hands were shaking at this point.  
  
"You are worth much more than you know, Wufei," Treize continued, his voice a low rumble. "Much, much, more. I would gladly level entire civilizations to have you."  
  
Wufei turned completely around to stare at him, searching his face. Looking for truth, I knew. Treize let him look and stared back - open, honest, having nothing to hide, no mania in his gaze.   
  
"I ..." Wufei started, then stopped, staring.  
  
"...you," Treize finished. "The last descendant of the dragon god Seiryuu. Inheritant of the Dragon Clan and all its beauty - and you are beautiful, Chang Wufei." He reached and touched Wufei's cheek once, sliding long fingers from the top of his cheekbone to the bottom of his chin.  
  
Wufei's eyes widened appreciably and he jerked his head back, his hair flying forward then back with the motion of his head, his indrawn breath showing his shock at Treize's caress.   
  
"You're - I'm - not."  
  
"You are," Treize purred.  
  
"Those are just legends," Wufei protested, his voice cracking a little.  
  
"They are?"  
  
The question hung, heavy in the silence that followed. The tension was almost unbearable. I had an excellent view of Wufei; and even though he was consciously denying everything that Treize said, it was obvious that deep down, on some level, he wasn't capable of denying what he felt was true.  
  
And there was a shock for me. He knew. Not only could his people recite the legends, they believed them.  
  
Reaching across his body, Treize took Wufei's chin in one hand and held his gaze at the same time. "One of your caliber, Wufei, has not existed for generations. Most with the dragon's blood die in the womb or burn up not long after birth."   
  
Wufei blinked at him. "... burn up?"  
  
"You know this, of course. Probably your mother, or your grandmother, or someone in your family did in your recent memory." As Treize continued, he turned the boy's face a little, inspecting it from a variety of different angles. "The difficulty is, of course, that a balance must be made - and held - between the dragon fire and the human genetic structure. Usually, that does not not hold past the age of six, at the latest. The fact that you have not only lived this long, but suffered no ill effects, indicates that the balance is perfect."  
  
"Stop it," Wufei snapped, pulling his chin away from Treize's hand, glaring at him.  
  
"Even those who survive, often as not are weak, sickly things subject to fevers at all times of the year -"  
  
"I said STOP it."  
  
"But you, Wufei ... I doubt you have even BEEN sick a day in your life, have you?"  
  
"I said STOP IT!"  
  
Harsh, panted breathing was the only thing I heard for the next minute or so. I watched from my perch as Wufei faced off against Treize, his hands balled into fists, his aura flashing around him.  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Wufei grated out, his voice rough.  
  
"Because, Wufei ... you wanted to know."  
  
"But -"  
  
Treize put a finger on Wufei's lips, effectively silencing him. Wufei's eyes became as round as saucers, but he made no sound.   
  
"Shh. There is no 'but.' You know that, Wufei, as well as you know your own name." Treize's voice took on a chiding note. "I grow tired of these childish games at times, and I think ... that you do, too."  
  
Huge, large, dark, irregular shapes were looming behind Treize, pushing their way into my consciousness, shouting to be identified. They looked like ... wings. Like shadow wings. And they were moving, gods help me. Shifting. Unfurled. Bigger than me. My hands were shaking and sweating.  
  
Wufei pulled his head back, staring at Treize. "St..stop that. Don't touch me!"  
  
My attention snapped from the shadow wings to Wufei. Help him help him help him, my emotional mind screamed at me. Jump down, run over, grab him away from Treize and get him out of here, for pity's sake, and do it now!  
  
'Rational me' swatted 'emotional me' on the head and pointed to the large shadow wing things behind Treize - then reminded 'emotional me' that Treize wasn't human - and wouldn't it be a good idea to see if Wufei was actually going to be IN danger before giving our position away?  
  
Treize tilted his head to one side and smiled at Wufei. It was a condescending smile.   
  
"Wufei," he said softly. "Do you also believe I will not touch you? Or perhaps ... that I do not have the right?"  
  
See? See? Get DOWN there! My emotional mind was freaking out - I was certifiably schizophrenic, trying to hold onto my rational mind by my metaphysical fingernails.  
  
Wufei was silent for a long moment. Dawning horror and resignation on his face showed he was close to something he knew, but didn't want to know.  
  
"Answer, Wufei."  
  
"I don't ... GIVE you that right."  
  
"Very good. And what is to prevent me from taking it?"  
  
" .. your own - mask."  
  
"Mask?" As Treize said that word, he slid closer to Wufei, so much so that Wufei was literally in the shadow of those shadow wings.   
  
I was rocking back and forth on my shelf, literally trying to keep myself from flinging myself off the the ledge and onto the floor.  
  
"If you take that away, then that image is destroyed. I'd never buy it again. Are you willing to risk that?" Wufei was trembling; his aura was trembling as well, and his brain was very obviously on overdrive.   
  
"Very good, Wufei," Treize said, his voice soft. "An excellent answer. But what if my answer is yes?"  
  
" ... then ... then I couldn't stop you. But you wouldn't have ME." The last was said viciously, his voice low.  
  
Treize smiled. "A true son of Seiyruu. He was always a stubborn thing."  
  
I was half-on, half-off the shelf at this point, watching them, when Treize did something that was not only unexpected but that made little sense. Without any warning at all, he reached forward and ran his hand down Wufei's back.   
  
But looks can be deceiving. He did not simply 'touch' Wufei's back, not by a long shot.  
  
Wufei gasped and arched back, looking absolutely shocked. At the same time, Wufei's aura coalesced, disappeared, and in its place - through him and above his head, was something that was brilliant orange. It had a long, sinuous, shape. I could make out a head - it was arched back, in exactly the same position as Wufei, with its mouth open - then it faded and was gone.  
  
I sat up so quickly that I nearly smacked my head on the ledge. That was the dragon! But there were no scales - simply pure color. And Treize brought it out ...for an instant, anyway. It's not there now ...  
  
Wufei sat next to Treize, panting and dazed, almost as if he's going to fall off the stretcher. Treize was watching him with a critical eye, his brow knit slightly, as if he was evaluating something.  
  
"Do I do it now, I wonder ..." Treize murmured, looking at Wufei. "Premature, yes ... but there ARE benefits to that." He reached out and stroked Wufei's back again; and this time, Wufei cried out. The look on his face was one normally reserved for ecstasy or pain. The dragon-aura appeared for a full two seconds, and there was no doubt - it mimicked Wufei and was completely smooth, without detail.  
  
My fingernails had dug permanent crescent moons into my palms to keep me from crying out. Each time he did something to Wufei, I felt it. I didn't know why or how, but I did. It tingled from the top of my head to the soles of my feet, and I hated it. I was panting and shaking and praying that he didn't do that to Wufei again, no, not again, because if he did it again, then I'd be off the shelf and attacking him, wings or no wings.  
  
The dragon faded, and Wufei almost collapsed. Treize reached over and casually pulled Wufei against him so he didn't fall off the stretcher. Wufei didn't resist and didn't seem aware of where he was at all. He reached up and rubbed his face.  
  
Treize looked down at him, considering. "Perhaps I should, Wufei ... what do you think? Not when I planned it, certainly ... but I do grow tired of waiting. It would be too early ... but you are so tempting, Wufei ..."  
  
That. is. IT.  
  
Everything in me - emotional and rational parts - agreed. I'm getting Wufei, and I'm getting him NOW.  
  
I slithered off the shelf and dropped down, not bothering with the steps. Exploding across the floor felt wonderful after hours of inactivity - finally, something I could do, and something I did well.  
  
Treize had tilted Wufei's head up, and was regarding him with an expression that was a cross between lascivious and reverent. The poor boy couldn't even focus yet; his face was flushed and his eyes were mostly closed. His head was resting on Treize's shoulder; as I pounded toward them, Treize bent down, closed his eyes and kissed Wufei thoroughly. At the same time, he lifted his hand and started to do that ... thing ... to his back at the same time, making Wufei wriggle.  
  
"Stop! Stop DOING that to him!"  
  
I slid to a stop in front of them, sparks practically coming out of my eyes, I was so incensed. Treize stopped and looked up at me, smiling. "Doing what, Sally?" He kept stroking Wufei's back, and Wufei whimpered, arching against him.  
  
"Stop that! I can FEEL it! You're hurting him! STOP IT!"  
  
"Can you? Interesting ..." He looked at me, raising his eyebrow, but didn't stop me when I lunged at him and took Wufei out of his arms. "That was fairly pleasant, I was led to believe. However, I won't impinge on your sensibilities."   
  
I snarled at him and started to drag Wufei away. Wufei, unfortunately for me, was no help - he was practically dead weight.  
  
"You - are - horrible," I gasped out at Treize. "You take advantage of him - in every possible sense. What are you?"  
  
Treize tilted his head, looking at me, amused. "What am I, Sally? What am I doing that is so horrible?" he asked, his voice gentle  
  
I was scuttling backwards and glaring at Treize at the same time - and that wasn't easy, because Wufei was heavy.  
  
"I could help you," Treize offered, obviously teasing.  
  
"Don't TOUCH him!" I snapped immediately.  
  
Treize laughed softly. "I do believe we were having that conversation before you arrived - unless you arrived sooner and I simply didn't notice. If you did, then - well. My congratulations. I do believe I'll have to be more careful in the future."  
  
"You do that," I puffed, hauling Wufei over to the side of the room, glaring at Treize.  
  
"You won't remember this in the morning," Treize promised, his voice even.  
  
Yes, you will, Trowa said softly in my head. But he does not need to know that.  
  
My eyes widened in response. Damn right he didn't need to know that. I surely wasn't going to tell him.   
  
"Leave us alone," I snarled at Treize, being unpleasant for good measure. I hated that man with every fiber of my being.  
  
"There IS a gurney to your left," Treize said mildly, watching me.  
  
I glanced over; sure enough, there was a gurney, just like the one near the sparring floor. "Come on, Wufei," I said with relief, pulling him over. "Here - lay down."  
  
"Wh - Sally?" He was dazed, and acted almost as if he was drugged as he stumbled into the gurney, trying to find his seat.  
  
"Lay down, Wufei. You'll be fine."  
  
" ...kay..."  
  
Wufei had no balance; he rolled onto the gurney and was asleep before his feet hit the bottom of the stretcher, utterly relaxed.  
  
I sighed in relief and smiled wanly down at Wufei, glad that at least he was at peace. When I looked up, I found that Treize was still there, looking at me thoughtfully.  
  
"Could you see the dragon, Sally?"  
  
He caught me off guard. "What?" I blinked.  
  
"Yes. It was beautiful, wasn't it?"  
  
I took a deep breath. "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," I said, giving the gurney an angry push across the floor, hoping the darkness hid my face.  
  
Treize said evenly, "I haven't seen one quite like it in at least three thousand years."  
  
Slowly I turned my head and stared at him.  
  
He paused, and gave me a wolf's grin. "Just kidding. See if you can talk to him about overtraining, Sally, since he obviously did it again tonight. It happens far too often, ne?"  
  
He stood - and as he stood, the wings in back of him shifted. Those things were REAL - and ye gods, they belonged to him .... Even though I couldn't see them very clearly, it was completely obvious to me that they were real. I felt all the blood rush away from my face as I involuntarily looked up, up, up, and gripped the edge of the gurney to keep my hands from shaking. Those - those things were just enormous .... gaaaaah ........   
  
....calm .... stay calm ....   
  
"I think you're seeing more than you ought, Sally Po."  
  
For three seconds, I stopped breathing as I considered Treize's words. They weren't exactly a threat - not quite - but just close enough. Then I decided what I was going to do, and I started to breathe again.  
  
"We're leaving, Treize. Good night." I shoved my chin in the air, sniffed at him, decided that I was acting as if I owned the place, prayed that he was going to let me leave, and stomped out of the room, pushing Wufei in front of me.  
  
Treize laughed as we left. He kept laughing as we walked down the hallway; that laughter echoed off the walls and bounced back at me, making me want to run down the hallway with Wufei instead of walking with him.  
  
We reached his room without incident; I transferred Wufei to his bed, then pushed the gurney outside and left it in the hallway.   
  
NOW my hands were shaking. As I walked back into Wufei's room to check on him, I couldn't help but notice how young he looked. Smoothing some hair back from his forehead, I frowned a little, puzzled. What was that expression on his face? Relaxed; contented, extremely. He opened his eyes briefly, smiled at me, sighed, and went back to sleep; and for all the world, I could have sworn that he looked like someone who just had sex.  
  
I frowned. With all the odd things going on here, I didn't question why I thought that. I just added it to the catalog of oddities and filed it away.  
  
Grabbing a blanket from Wufei's closet, I kicked off my shoes, curled up in the chair next to Wufei's bed, and tucked myself in, loathe to leave him alone again. I dozed, waiting for the morning sun. 


	29. Chapter 28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tapestry, Chapter 28  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sunrise over the sea was beautiful.   
  
I was wrapped in a blanket and curled in the large chair in Wufei's room, as much for my sake as for his. Protectively swathed in the comforter I dozed, half in and half out of consciousness, neck relaxed, chin almost on my chest. Odd noises floated in and out of my dreams, noises that flowed and fit and sounded like part of normal, everyday living, nothing alarming at all. And when I opened my eyes and looked at the bed, expecting to see him asleep, there was no Wufei. The sheets were rumpled, as if he had lain there, slept for a time, and disappeared.   
  
I was frantic.  
  
The covers dropped to the floor in a heap as I sprang out of the chair and charged toward the door, oblivious to the pain that sizzled through my neck, across my shoulders, down my back and through my left arm. Before I yanked the door open, though, I happened to glance across the patio to the sea - and there he was, walking along one of the paths to the water, dressed in white, looking serene, calm, and tranquil.  
  
~~Calm down, Sally. No one's abducted him. No one's taken him. He's just out taking a walk. That's all. Just a walk. You can start breathing again.~~  
  
Panting and trembling, I stood in front of the door, one hand on the doorknob, and thought about what a huge mistake I had almost made. Had I not seen Wufei walking on the beach ... gaaaaaaaah. I shivered, not even wanting to dwell on how THAT little fiasco would have played out. Ouch.  
  
I needed to calm down. First, I needed to take a shower and change my clothes; then I needed to go and talk to Wufei. By that time, I should be rational enough to string two coherent sentences together. I hoped.   
  
Putting my thoughts to action, I took a deep breath and plunged into the hallway, escaping quickly to my room. By focusing on one thing at a time, I reasoned, I'd be able to plow through this horrible situation, drag Wufei with me, and escape relatively unscathed.  
  
I hoped. But I was an optimist, and I knew that, too.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Good morning, Sally."   
  
The wind blew gently in my face, and I stared at Wufei's back. That was enough to stop me in my tracks. Wufei never greeted me first - he always waited for me to greet him.   
  
I approached him warily. He continued to stare at the sea, his entire demeanor relaxed and calm, his hands clasped lightly behind his back.  
  
"Good morning, Wufei. Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Mmm ... yes," he said, not looking at me, sounding slightly puzzled. "I did, thank you." He surprised me again by scissoring down onto the sand, smooth and graceful, then sighed, stretched out on the sand and closed his eyes, his hands folded under his head.  
  
"You don't sound sure," I replied, walking up to him then sitting down on the sand.  
  
He hesitated. "I'm just ... I'm not sure how I got to my room," he confided, shifting his position a little. "I feel very good - but I don't remember anything about last night. I especially don't recall asking you to stay with me, either, but when I woke up, there you were."  
  
I blinked and nodded.. "Mmmm. Yes. That's surprising. You're sure you don't remember anything, Wufei?" I paused for a moment, giving him time to think. "Perhaps we can think about this another way. What is the last thing you do remember?"  
  
He frowned a little, his eyes silt against the morning sun. "I guess ... well. I guess the last thing I remember is that I fell asleep on the way home from the press conference. But," he said, blinking, "that doesn't seem right. It doesn't feel right."  
  
I stared at him, not quite believing what I was hearing. "Ah ... well, no, Wufei. There's a little more to it than that. Treize asked you to fight with him - to work off a little tension, he said - and you agreed. You fought with Treize last night." No one in this entire universe will ever know how much it cost me to say that in a normal, everyday voice instead of screaming the way I wanted. No one. But I did it, and I did it well. So well, in fact, that Wufei simply nodded along with me. I felt exhausted at the end of it.  
  
"Did I?" Wufei puckered his brow. "I don't remember fighting with him. Did I hit my head? It doesn't hurt." The fingers of his right hand started to explore his scalp, looking for the telltale bump or scratch of the abrasion causing his amnesia.  
  
Oh gods. That was so ironic it was funny. I thought I was going to lose it right at that point. "I don't think so, Wufei, " I said, swallowing. "You should be fine."  
  
He looked at me expectantly. "What happened next, Sally?"  
  
Beads of perspiration broke out on and around my brow. "You and Treize fought for a very long time, with neither one of you a clear cut winner. Then - then the two of you decided to sit and - talk - for a while." My stomach twisted as I watched him and decided how best to continue. Gads, what was I supposed to do? Tell him what I saw, and what I heard? Would he believe me?  
  
Trowa's voice murmured in my head. ~~No. He would not. Touching the soul of another being is *the* most intimate action possible. It is not wrong in and of itself, but the results are extremely powerful. For a human, the physiological reactions are sexual, and are cumulative in nature. ~~  
  
I tried to keep my face perfectly neutral as Trowa fed this information into my mind. Wufei was still watching me. "Nothing, really, happened after that. And .. and ... then you fell asleep. I brought you back here and decided to stay with you because you wouldn't wake up easily. I was afraid that something did happen during the sparring match that I didn't see," I finished, the explanation lame in my own ears, praying he wouldn't ask me any more questions.  
  
"Oh. Okay," Wufei said, his eyes closing of their own accord. He looked like he was dozing again. I looked down at him, feeling unutterably sad.  
  
~~What is wrong, Sally Po?~~  
  
~~Is that what Treize did - touch his soul?~~  
  
~~Yes.~~  
  
~~Oh.~~ I sighed.  
  
Wufei opened his eyes slowly and stared right at me. "Do you feel all right?"  
  
I was so surprised that I stared at him a full two seconds until I realized he actually was speaking to me. "Oh ... sure. I'm fine." I looked off to the right, down the beach. A little breeze pushed some of my hair out of my face, making it wave in the wind. For all intents and purposes, we were living in a tropical paradise.  
  
Right. If you liked tropical paradises with guns and maniacs, then this was the place for you.  
  
"You don't look well." Wufei sat up, brushing the sand away from his palms, and gave me a closer look. "Maybe you should see a doctor."   
  
Now I was shocked. He was calm and mellow, even slouching a little, but perfectly serious.  
  
"Wufei - really? Why are you saying that?"  
  
"Because you're pale. Your expression is concerned; your hands are trembling; and the bruise on your neck is turning colors." He stood up in one smooth motion and held his hand out to help me to my feet. "Please come. I'll summon a doctor."  
  
I blinked, reached up for his hand and allowed him to pull me up. His behavior mystified me to the point where I couldn't protest; in fact, anything I said now would sound silly and churlish. I followed him back to the mansion.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Lie down, Sally. I'll call."  
  
Wufei took me to one of the less used libraries and tucked me away on a leather couch. Draping a blanket over me and fluffing several pillows, he eyed me critically before deciding it was all right to leave me for a few moments to make his call. Frankly, I was surprised he opted to do that at all - he could just as easily have used his cellphone right from couchside, as fussy and maternal as he was being.  
  
He was a great nurse, and I was a lousy patient.  
  
"Can you take aspirin?"  
  
"Oh ... yes, I can. Not a problem."  
  
Wufei disappeared again for a few moments, then reappeared with a glass of water and something in his other hand. He bent down toward me with the glass as I pushed myself up on my elbows, accepting the pills. I swallowed them with the water without incident and handed the glass back to him.  
  
"They said a doctor would come in about an hour. I'll stay with you until then."  
  
"Why - thank you, Wufei." I gave him a small smile, a little bewildered. His behavior tweaked my memory; he reminded me of a tight, stern officer I once knew. That man changed in exactly the same way Wufei changed, but it was after he married and came back from his honeymoon. Steve became a more pleasant person, much easier to talk to and more relaxed about things in general.   
  
My mind was making connections between what Trowa whispered to me and what I saw. I looked at Wufei, and my heart sank. Gads.  
  
He pulled an overstuffed armchair over next to my couch and sank into it, sighing. "Maybe I'll sleep a bit," he said, his voice a low, comfortable rumble, closing his eyes.  
  
"Okay, Wufei," I agreed, closing my eyes at the same time, "that's fine. I'm not going anywhere." Funny, indeed. Where would I go?  
  
I silt my eyes and watched him until I was sure he was asleep, watching until his breathing became regular and his aura surged around him comfortably. I believed he didn't remember a thing from last night; there was no way he would have been this calm if he remembered even one tenth of what had happened from the time Treize stopped sparring with him until I rescued him from Treize's arms.  
  
Reaching out, I put my hand on Wufei's knee, something that was comforting for both of us, and looked at his aura again. Purple streaks still threaded their way through his red and black, purple streaks that I now knew were unhealthy blows to his psyche. I took those very personally; I was a doctor, after all, and I should be able to alleviate his pain. I needed to be more vigilant with him, alleviate his pain. My own pain, though, I pushed to another corner of my consciousness. I would deal with that later.  
  
I watched his aura shift toward me, and felt vaguely pleased. It meant that he was comfortable with me touching him, as least when he was unconscious, and that he liked me. I wondered, though, why that happened. It certainly hadn't happened with Seiyruu - he didn't want me touching his soul.  
  
~~You would have died if you had touched Seiyruu's soul; that is not the case with Wufei.~~  
  
I started fully awake, my eyes blinking open. Trowa's internal voice was becoming familiar to me, but still - other thoughts pushing into my head were mildly upsetting.   
  
In for a penny, in for a pound. ~~Why isn't that the case with Wufei? I asked. And while we're on the subject, Trowa, you never did tell me exactly what Treize was, either. I'd like to know what I'm dealing with.~~  
  
His presence was calm. ~~Ah, yes. That is, perhaps, easiest shown. I will try not to overwhelm you.~~  
  
Groaning inwardly, I thought, ~~Good. I'd certainly appreciate that. Thank you.~~ He probably doesn't know his own strength, I figured, sighing. He'd probably leave me a gibbering idiot if he wasn't careful.   
  
~~Very well, Sally. We will begin.~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At least this time - as opposed to the time when he took me to meet Seiyruu - he allowed me enough contact with this world that I was aware of my hand on Wufei's knee the entire time. That was a link with reality, enough of one to pull me back when necessary.  
  
I didn't see Wufei in front of me. What I did see was something that was unfamiliar, yet at that same time resonated deep inside of me, almost as if it was a racial memory. It was a land of barren rocks and red soil, of a sky that was bronzed with an enormous sun - and there was something shining in the sky, something that was too bright to look at, as fiercely bright as the sun.   
  
~~In the beginning,~~ said Trowa, ~~there was Rebellion.~~  
  
Suddenly, the world around me erupted into flame.  
  
~~This is not happening now, Sally. This happened eons ago, at the beginning of the world.~~  
  
Ghastly battles spanned the landscape; that was the only way my mind could describe what was happening. It was beyond anything I could grasp, something totally on a spiritual plane. Horrible things - fire, power, things I couldn't even name, raging across the land, destroying and wiping entities completely out of existence.  
  
I felt it - I felt it all, and it was awful. ~~Why, Trowa, why?~~ I was nearly crying, I felt so much pain.  
  
~~Because of Man. Jouten created Man, and gave to Man the greatest of His gifts - the greatest of His love - even the ability for redemption. There is no other creature in the universe that has those things, Sally.~~  
  
I shook my head, still feeling the war being waged across the land and sea and sky, and it was tearing me apart. Sudden coolness and a calm, serene feeling took me by surprise, damping that horrible feeling; panting, I looked around but couldn't see any difference. Grateful for any small respite from that awful pain, I whispered, ~~who - who's fighting, Trowa?~~  
  
~~The Host of Heaven, Sally. They were told their purpose was to serve Man, a mortal thing - and some of them rebelled.~~  
  
~~Ah. So. They are immortal?~~  
  
~~Yes. They can be destroyed, but they do not die. You are seeing the end of their battle. ~~  
  
As I watched, something so hot and so all-consuming that I almost couldn't stand it came flaming down from the sky. It scorched everything, including the very air I breathed, even though I wasn't in the same time. That flaming wave consumed the world and everything that was fighting; it left nothing but stillness and ash in its wake.   
  
I stared, awestruck.  
  
Trowa's voice echoed in my head. ~~One third of the Host of Heaven rebelled. They were judged. But of those, some - one third - remained. ~~  
  
Everything cleared, and the air was almost shockingly cool. There were a few beings moving in the ash, but just a few. Some of them were rising from the ground and daring to shake their fists at the sky. I could tell, even from this distance, that each and every one of them were astonishingly beautiful winged men.  
  
~~But, Trowa, how - how - those beings were burned - how could they possibly survive?~~  
  
~~Jouten chose some of them to live to tempt and temper the rest of the world. ~~  
  
One by one, those ragged, beautiful survivors took off in roughly the same direction - flying, disappearing, or just walking. All except one.  
  
I blinked, looking at the last one.  
  
~~Look closely, Sally. Look at the one that remains.~~  
  
The last survivor was standing with a simple half-toga wrapped around his waist, his skin and wings completely bronze, a slightly bitter, contemplative look on his face as he stared at the ground.  
  
I looked closer. It was Treize.  
  
~~He cannot go back,~~ Trowa murmured in my mind, ~~because he rebelled. That way is closed to him forever. Only humans are given redemption. He chose to be an outcast - he rebelled against the one who made him, named him, loved him.~~  
  
Treize looked up; and his eyes, rather than his normal clear blue, were the same color as his wings. His brow knit slightly as he looked off to the east. Following his gaze, I saw a small patch of green that appeared to be a forest in the middle of a brick red desert.  
  
~~What's that?~~ I wondered, curious.  
  
~~Sanctuary. Your ancestors knew it as Eden.~~  
  
As I gazed over at Eden, wondering, I heard Treize speaking to himself in a language I'd never heard. However, Trowa translated it for me so that I understood what he was saying.  
  
"And what ... is so special about you ... that you would displace US?"  
  
He flickered, turned in the direction of Eden, and disappeared.  
  
I stared at the spot where Treize stood, assimilating what I just witnessed. ~~He was talking about humans, wasn't he ..? ~~  
  
~~Yes, he was.~~  
  
~~Was he the one who tempted Eve?~~  
  
~~No - that one is another who fell. His purposed was to damn mankind forever. That was never Treize's goal.~~  
  
I blinked, thinking. ~~What is his goal?~~  
  
~~There are three responses among the Fallen ones to mankind, Sally. The first is apathy - they do not care. They ignore. They pretend you do not exist, and they go on with their existence as if you are not even here. The second is hatred. They rage against you, doing all they can to make you fall, to harm and hurt you. And the third - which is Treize's - is fascination.~~  
  
~~He is ... fascinated?~~  
  
~~He is. He plays with you. He loves humans. As pets. As toys. He likes them alive. He likes to take them apart and see what makes them tick. He has spent his entire life among humans, and is always fascinated. He knows of the damnation that awaits him, but he pretends, at times, that he does not know of it.~~  
  
I fumbled, different emotions tightening my chest. ~~But sometimes, Trowa ... sometimes, it feels - cruel. Not like love at all. And - and he will die one day ...? ~~  
  
~~He will be destroyed, or banished - and he is Fallen, Sally. His nature is not meant to be separated from that which created him; because of this, his love is poison. He does not seek redemption - he knows it is beyond his reach.~~  
  
Pity surged through me; pity for him, for his circumstances, for his inability to return to where he needed to go.  
  
~~So - he wants Wufei ... to play with? Or to be with - another soul like his, outside - what did you call it before - the 'written?'~~  
  
~~Not simply for that, I'm afraid. He does not look for companionship. I did not show you his presence in China in times past. He has loved the children of Seiyruu to their deaths many, many times.~~  
  
Bone chilling cold seeped into my body. I stared, unseeing, in front of me. ~~What do you mean, 'loved them to their deaths?' Do you mean he killed them on purpose?~~  
  
~~He has loved them to death. Stripped their souls. Mutilated their bodies. But only at times. Others he kept until they grew old and died. He knows how to wake them up. He fought with Seiyruu about this. He does NOT wish to kill Wufei, or he would have awakened the dragon and taken him already. He wishes to keep him.~~  
  
Fear - pure, cold fear - plunged my stomach into my toes. ~~He wants to do that to Wufei - I heard him talking about it. He wants to 'wake him up.' Gads, he could kill him. Why? Why would he do that?~~  
  
~~Many reasons.~~ Trowa sounded terribly calm. I blinked, and found myself laying back in the room with Wufei, my hand on his knee, Wufei still asleep.  
  
~~Treize loves beauty in all its forms; he loves the beauty of man most of all. Wufei is a very beautiful human, and he is unique in appearance because of the homogenization of earth. This alone makes him 'special' in Treize's eyes. The fact that he is an offspring of Seiyruu, the only god to have created a workable hybrid with humans, makes him even more fascinating. That, plus the fact that Seiyruu's children have not been this balanced in thousands of years. Normally, they burn up. They have a strong connection with the element of fire; it consumes them. ~~  
  
~~So - Wufei is desirable to him?~~  
  
~~To say the least. Sally, combine this with a quick mind, a strong body, talents which he has not even begun to tap, and finally, his innocence, and ... well. There is a package that Treize would not be able to resist.~~  
  
I sighed, feeling totally defeated. ~~Is there nothing I can do? I cannot stand against Treize for Wufei - I'm not strong enough. And Wufei cannot stand on his own - he doesn't even know what's happening to him.~~  
  
~~No, he does not. According to the written, Treize will have him. You are the balance for Wufei. You protect him.~~  
  
I was extremely still, not moving a muscle. ~~Trowa - what? Wufei will ... what? what are you saying? What do you mean?~~  
  
~~You must do all you can, even after the fact. The written shows ... his building up will strengthen you all.~~  
  
Bone crushing sadness dropped over me. I looked at Wufei, sleeping soundly in the chair next to me, completely unaware, and felt totally defeated. The fight was already lost. There was no fight anymore - not really -  
  
~~No, Sally. If you had lost the fight, I would not be speaking to you. I do not speak to humans. It is normally forbidden, on pain of destruction. You are not even anankha.~~  
  
I swallowed my grief, pushing it back to another part of my mind. ~~Then - what are you saying? I don't understand.~~  
  
~~It is not the end.~~  
  
Of course it is. I closed my eyes against the storm that threatened to beat against my eyelids. ~~Treize is going to have him. You've already said that.~~  
  
~~Yes. And that is not the end.~~  
  
~~....No...?~~ Tiny, tiny hope flared.  
  
~~No.~~  
  
~~But ... why not? And what is anankha?~~  
  
I had the feeling he was consulting something again, as he did the last time he spoke to me.  
  
~~Anankha is the classification for those who have fallen outside the written ... for various reasons. Those who are anankha can be claimed by anyone.~~  
  
And suddenly, an image of Quatre flashed through my mind - not Quatre as I knew him, though. This was Quatre with a pure, golden light and a sense of longing surrounding him. I blinked and shook my head a little, not understanding where that came from.  
  
Trowa continued. ~~Those still in the written follow the written, but those outside it are outside my power. They follow only the Written, and are unpredictable - at least to some extent. ~~  
  
I considered carefully. ~~So. Because of what you told me before, about Treize - both Treize and Wufei are anankha, and are outside the written - but I am inside, and will follow it. Is that correct?~~  
  
~~Yes. And the actions of anankha can only be surmised by the reactions of those around them, those that follow the written.~~  
  
~~Is Quatre outside the written, too?~~  
  
~~No.~~ Trowa did not sound happy about that, which was odd. I changed the subject.  
  
~~So - in order to see Wufei's actions, you need to watch someone close to him, someone in the written ... and that means you want to watch me, right? ~~  
  
~~Yes. And even that is not enough to be completely predictable.~~  
  
~~Is that why the fight is not over?~~  
  
~~Yes and no. Even when Treize has him, it will not be enough - it will not be the end. Wufei is the child of Seiyruu, as none have been for millennia. Anankha are dangerous because they change the written. I can see your life, until the moment you are supposed to die - therefore, I see your responses to what becomes.~~  
  
~~But you cannot see Wufei, can you?~~  
  
~~No, I cannot. His actions could alter everything I now see. The Written is the only thing which may not be changed. That is why I exist; because the written can differ from the Written, and I try to keep them in synch. ~~  
  
I felt his displeasure through our link; not at me, per se, but at events in general. Treize has already changed the written. ~~You were originally still in the hospital at this time. He has altered the written too far, which is why I am now directly involved, and he knows it, too.~~  
  
~~He knows it?~~ I blinked, shuddering under my blanket, remembering Treize as he was last night, wings unfurled, eyes boring into mine.   
  
~~Of course he knows.~~ Trowa sounded disgusted, not afraid at all. ~~He thinks it's funny. He does what he wants.~~  
  
~~...but ... but ... if he knows you're involved ... then he knows you're simply trying to balance the system ....~~  
  
The equivalent of a snort echoed in my head. ~~He has known me for millennia. I am the only one of my kind to remain in this world, and what I do now jeopardizes that.~~  
  
~~You - you mean, talking to me?~~  
  
~~No, Sally Po.~~ He was silent for a moment. ~~I have made a mistake. I have looked on one upon whom I should not have looked.~~  
  
I sighed, shifting under the blanket. ~~Trowa, you are speaking in riddles. You are a Fate. You keep the balance between the written and the Written, meaning you can see everything. How can there possibly be one you should not have seen?~~  
  
More emotion - intensity, perhaps - colored his tone than I had ever felt. ~~You saw her whom Seiyruu loved. She was beautiful, and so is this.~~  
  
Without warning, I was surrounded by that same, shining glory. Golden white light, pure and perfect, streamed around me, almost hurting my eyes with its brilliance - and at its center was not Seiyruu's Lily, but Quatre's smiling face.   
  
~~Quatre? This is - this is Quatre's aura?~~  
  
~~Yes, Sally. I have become human for his sake, and so ... damned myself.~~  
  
The image faded, and I was back in my blanket cocoon, hand on Wufei's knee, listening to his deep, even breathing.   
  
I was silent for a moment. ~~You are not entirely human. But you could die.~~  
  
~~Yes. I am now vulnerable. And I would not die - I would simply cease to exist.~~  
  
That sounded more gruesome than simply dying. I shuddered again. Could Treize destroy you?~~  
  
~~Yes, unless I break the rules, and I would never do that.~~  
  
I blinked, thinking. ~~Trowa - I cannot help Wufei - I cannot prevent Treize from taking him. And if I couldn't stand against Treize for Wufei, I'm not sure I would be able to help you against him, either.~~  
  
~~I did not ask you to help me.~~ He paused, and it felt as if he was thinking about something. ~~He said you would be like this. It is, indeed, your nature. Concentrate on helping Wufei, Sally. You will find that the mere fact of your existence gives him something he wouldn't normally have.~~  
  
Depression dropped over me like a blanket. ~~It is ... very hard for me to understand that. There is nothing I can offer.~~  
  
~~An escape - and hope, Sally Po. You offer him hope. Were you not here, he would be alone in his hardship. Protect him. Protect him as best you can.~~  
  
I sighed, turning my head into the pillow. ~~Very well. Then - that is what I will do. Once Treize takes him, Trowa, will he - will he reject me?~~ I had visions of that, too. Not pleasant. Not pleasant at all.  
  
~~No. He will reject himself. ~~  
  
Horror at his words moved through me. ~~Wait - what? Then how can Treize do it? Doesn't he know what will happen?~~  
  
~~Of course he knows. He intends to build Wufei back up, into the image he believes he should be. It can be done.~~  
  
That was such a shockingly outrageous, vile action that I could hardly respond for a few moments. ~~No! That's not right! Trowa, what am I supposed to do? If he's going to do that, he isn't going to allow me anywhere NEAR Wufei. Why would he permit an outside influence, especially someone like me, near his Project? That's- ~~  
  
~~Because you are amusing, and special, and you remind him of another.~~  
  
That stopped me cold. ~~ I ... what? ~~  
  
~~You remind him of another whom he enjoyed. Under normal circumstances, Sally, you would be his focus. However, the presence of the dragon precludes that. ~~  
  
I was silent for a few moments, absorbing what he said. Okay. Now I had to know. ~~Who do I remind him of, Trowa?~~  
  
~~Joan of Arc.~~  
  
~~I remind him ... of Saint Joan?~~ Gods. That's insane. Talk about uncomfortable ... I stared over at Wufei, still sleeping soundly. ~~She never wavered in her convictions - and for her efforts, she was burned at the stake.~~  
  
~~She was - and you might be. But not before you complete your purpose. Treize was with her as she died, Sally. He kissed her as she burned. You should be glad his attention is not on you.~~  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A brisk knock on the door interrupted our conversation. Wufei, far from being completely asleep, was out of the chair and over at the door before I could even sit up.  
  
"Who is it?" he snapped, sharp and protective, through the door.  
  
"Doctor," came the muffled reply.  
  
Wufei blinked. "Oh," he said, and pulled the door open to reveal a smallish woman, blinking behind large glasses.  
  
"Nan?" I breathed, not believing what I saw. "Is that you?"  
  
"Sally?" She paused for a long moment, taking her bearings, them bustled into the room, completely professional, taking in the situation in one glance. "So," she said, raising one eyebrow, "hurt yourself, eh? Well, I'll take care of it."  
  
I sat up, sweeping the blanket away with one arm, wincing a little as I did. "I suppose you could say that, yes ..."  
  
"Let's see -"  
  
Wufei closed the door behind Nan and was eyeing us with such protective suspicion that it was cute; his arms were folded across his chest and he was glowering. Of course, he didn't know that, and I wasn't about to tell him that.  
  
"Wufei - this is Nan. She and I were roommates in med school for a while -"  
  
Wufei sized her up and nodded, his glare not subsiding one bit. Nan glanced back at him and gave him the briefest of nods, then returned her attention to me.  
  
"Now, Sally, where does it hurt?"  
  
"Ah .. here ... along my neck, and down my spine." I pointed out the injured area to her, turning my back at the same time.  
  
She was quiet for a long moment, her cool fingers at the nape of my neck, opening my shirt, exposing my neck and back. "Training exercise, hm?"  
  
I felt my cheeks burn. 'Training exercise,' for doctors in the military, could mean several things; it could actually mean an accident that occurred in a true training exercise, or it could mean discipline meted out to unruly soldiers in the field. She had no reason to suspect anything but the former. I was glad I faced the opposite wall. "Yes, I suppose so. I can't see the problem, just feel it - it only feels muscular, though -"  
  
"It looks like something tried to rip out your spinal cord and forgot to make an incision," Nan commented casually. "Have you iced it yet?"  
  
"Um ... no ..." Now all the blood rushed away from my face, leaving my cheeks pale.   
  
She snorted. I knew that sound, the "you know BETTER than that" sound she used to make when I forgot to study for tests and quizzes. Gently applying an icepack from my neck to the middle of my back, which did bring a lot of relief, she rummaged in her bag as I twisted around to watch her.  
  
"Um ... is there anything else going on with it?"  
  
Nan was very carefully NOT looking at me; instead, she was terribly interested in what was in her bag. "I wouldn't know without a more thorough look. How long have you had this? It's discolored, so I'd say a while."  
  
I turned back, feeling discouraged. "Since - Friday night," I sighed. No help there. There's nothing wrong, I told myself. If there was, Treize would have taken care of it. I would have been in the hospital.  
  
Nan sighed. "Sally, did you lose your mind completely when you left OZ?"  
  
I blinked and stared at her. Wufei narrowed his eyes and took a step forward.  
  
"Sorry," Nan apologized, shrugging. "I wasn't supposed to say that."  
  
"No - that's all right," I said, waving Wufei back and turning around again at her direction. "I made the best decision I could, given the circumstances."  
  
She snorted again, pressing both her hands into my neck. "Let me guess. You have more important things to think about." She was prodding my back gently now, moving her fingers slowly down my spine.  
  
"More important than - ow," I complained, my eyes scrunching in pain. "More important than what? You mean .... oh. Well." I nodded, smiling a little.  
  
"You always had more important things, Sally. How many times do I have to TELL you - if you're in sucky shape, you can't help anybody else?"  
  
"I know - I know, Nan. You've told me before - but I suppose it's just my nature. It's hard -" I sucked in my breath quickly as she hit a particularly sensitive spot - "hard for me to figure out when I need help and when I don't, and when it's time to quit -"  
  
"Looks like someone's figured that one out for you," Nan said calmly, finishing the exam.  
  
She didn't miss a trick. 'Training exercise,' indeed.  
  
"Yes. Well." I looked away, my face coloring again.  
  
Nan sighed again. "Any nerve damage has already been done. Any numbness? Vision problems? Dizziness?"  
  
"No, I haven't felt any tingling anywhere. And as for vision problems or dizziness - well ... none that I can tell."  
  
"It looks like you're just really, really, bruised. I don't see anything here that indicates permanent damage. You're lucky as hell, Sally. You had one hell of a lucky accident."   
  
I rolled my neck carefully, feeling it stretch. "That's - good. That's very good."  
  
"I'm leaving you some painkillers. Strong stuff. I'll make you sleep. If you need more, you can ask."  
  
Turning, I nodded stiffly and gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Nan. I really appreciate it."  
  
Nan didn't smile back, though. She was looking back at me with a pensive, heavy expression. "Whatever possessed you, Sally Po," she murmured softly, pulling a thermometer from her kit. "Of the two of us, you always were the brighter one, the one with more sense." Shaking her head, she put the thermal probe in my ear and checked my eyes, her mouth a thin line.  
  
"I had to, Nan," I said, answering when I could. "I just had to. I couldn't live a lie any more." I glanced over her shoulder. "Blood pressure okay?"  
  
"For someone who hasn't been sleeping or taking good care of herself, this looks fine." An acerbic stare in my direction softened the longer she looked at me. "Your blood pressure is low, Sally. You haven't been eating again. I'm putting orders on your chart to make sure you eat." She looked over in Wufei's direction, then down at her chart. "I'm sure someone will see to it that you will."  
  
"Yes. I'm sure they will," I replied, a rueful look at him. "I do the best I can, given the circumstances. I just regained consciousness last Monday."  
  
"Consciousness?" Nan echoed, blinking.   
  
We were interrupted by incessant rapping on the door, with a muffled voice that sounded familiar calling through it: "Routine checkup."  
  
Before anyone had a chance to answer, the door was opened, and who was there but Trowa, looking calm and severe in an OZ Specials uniform.  
  
"All's well," Nan responded, nodding toward him.  
  
"Check. Estimated time of completion?"  
  
"I'm all but done. Another three minutes, perhaps."  
  
"I will be right outside the door. Please knock when you are finished."  
  
Trowa nodded smartly, left and closed the door quietly behind him. Wufei gave no sign of recognition, and I knew that he knew Trowa. I wondered if he actually saw him, or if he was so much in control of himself that he wouldn't give himself away at all, not even in front of me.  
  
"I don't approve, you know."  
  
My attention snapped around to Nan. Her voice was smooth and even but her shoulders drooped as she continued, "Just in case ... you thought I did. I don't. I just - don't know what happened to you, Sally."  
  
Something inside me snapped. "I was ordered to exterminate an entire colony of innocent people, Nan. Hundreds of thousands of them. Men, women and children - all of them. I couldn't do it. It was monstrous."  
  
"Were they, Sally? Were they innocent? Do you know for sure?"  
  
I stared at her. "I'm a healer, Nan. I didn't sign on to annihilate colonies of defenseless people, people with no weapons ..."  
  
"There was probably a good reason for the order -"  
  
Trowa's voice interrupted us again. "Check?"  
  
"Check!" Nan snapped, annoyed, probably louder than she intended.  
  
"I'm sure someone had a good reason for the order, Nan, but I couldn't justify it to myself. You don't kill noncombatants." I shrugged, and then winced. "At least I couldn't. And I may not be sleeping much now, but when I can sleep, I do."  
  
She sighed, looking at me. "Well, you need more. AND a better diet. As I said, I'll let them know. But Sally - if killing is so wrong, why did you join the Resistance?"  
  
I looked at her. "That's easy," I said quietly. "I believed in the basic principles. Defending your life and your liberty. Defending the rights of those who can't fight for themselves. Fighting to insure that justice reaches everyone, not simply the chosen few."  
  
Nan didn't look convinced. I wasn't surprised. She was right - between the two of us, I had always been the idealist, and she had been the person who was grounded in the "but they SAID it should be done THIS way, Sally ..." way of doing things. When I finally looked at her aura, I noticed it was autumn red, pale and wispy, and not more than an inch in width around her entire body.   
  
"REST, Sally. You need it." Knocking on the door, she summoned Trowa, nodded at me and left, without so much as a backward glance at Wufei.  
  
I watched her go, feeling melancholy, realizing that another section of my life had just closed as she walked out that door.  
  
Glancing up at Wufei, I heard Trowa's prediction ringing in my ears. The only thing I didn't know, I realized bleakly, was when.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The hardest part of any surveillance job is waiting.  
  
Waiting for the target to make his or her move. Waiting for the shipment to be delivered. Waiting for contact to arrive with the information. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Waiting drove me crazy.  
  
That's what happened for the next two and a half weeks. Nothing. But. Waiting.   
  
There was news from the outside. That's how I classified the world - Inside, which was the world on the island, and Outside, which was the world off the island. Outside, the rebellion was far from over. The colonies were acquiescing, according to the news, but the fighting continued. If the fighting continued, I reasoned, then the colonies weren't really rolling over for Treize, were they? So no, the rebellion wasn't dead. Good, good, good.  
  
Inside, though ... inside, there was nothing going on. Nothing. In the space of two weeks, the size of the island had shrunk from something substantial to something less than the size of a postage stamp. Oh, I had my favorite places to go - places to sun, places to swim, places to run, places to read - but after a while, I ran out of places to go and things to do. And I was bored.  
  
Wufei didn't seem to have problems with the size of the island. In fact, he didn't seem to have problems with anything right now. For Wufei, this was heaven. Even Treize had left him alone, relatively speaking. They sparred in the morning; they ate together and had some classes together; but it seemed as if Treize wasn't pushing things any farther for now.   
  
Trowa was there, too. He was part of Treize's Specials, and as such, was now part of the group. It was a strange sensation, seeing him around all the time; and what was even stranger was seeing him manifest a normal aura, one that changed when he was in Treize's proximity.  
  
~~Why, Trowa?~~ I asked him when we were alone once. ~~Why are you doing that?~~  
  
~~Because otherwise Treize will know I'm here, and he will know which human body I've taken. Please remember - I'm vulnerable. That would not be good. At all.~~  
  
I swallowed and nodded, understanding his point completely. It occurred to me that Trowa was taking huge risks that really weren't in his original game plan.   
  
Trowa blended in quite well with the Elite forces on the island, too. In fact, I had been keeping tabs on all the island forces. My memory was excellent for names and faces as well as schedules and routines; I had used it many times in the Resistance to save my life and the lives of others from the enemy.  
  
Routines and schedules changed often enough, but I did see the same faces again and again, doing the same type of things. They claimed that everyone was a generalist - that they could all do each others' jobs - but there really were specialists within the company. I kept my eyes open for the communication specialist within the group. Plus, I knew there were research and communication labs beneath the house proper; I just hadn't been 'invited' down to see them as yet.  
  
Hmmm. Imagine that.  
  
Treize, on the other hand, had been a perfect host to this point. In fact, he had gone into his contemplative 'I-agree-with-you' mode with me more than once, which was thoroughly annoying. I hated that. I wanted to disagree with him, just to be perverse.  
  
I couldn't, of course. Because when I tried, it was horrid. Either he agreed with whatever I said and elaborated as if it was JUST what he meant, or else he disagreed and took me apart so cleanly I had no choice BUT to agree with him or look like a churlish idiot.   
  
He did it on purpose, of course, and he thought it was funny. I hated him even more for that, if it was possible. Plus, he always did it in front of Wufei.   
  
I found myself swallowing a lot of what I wanted to say and just glaring at him most of the time. Retreating into silence wasn't something I was used to and it wasn't something I enjoyed. At this point, though, there wasn't much else I could do. I needed to maintain some dignity, some sense of self.  
  
When I was alone with him, though, it was an entirely different matter. Either he totally ignored me or he seriously invaded my personal space, crowding me to the point where I would be pushed against a table or flattened near a bookshelf. When I finally did push back or say something, he gave me Looks that had me weak in the knees and made it impossible to concentrate. However, when I saw how amused he was, my temper gave way; I noticed my anger made it easier to focus.  
  
I noticed that before. Whenever I became terribly angry, that emotion seemed to push away Treize's influence and helped me think clearly. It left me exhausted, though, mentally and physically. I knew I couldn't be angry twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  
  
Treize was so understanding. I found books on anger management and one entitled "Dealing with Everyday Stress in Your Life" sitting on my nightstand, with a handwritten note from him, hoping that I'd enjoy this addition to the library. I was so enraged I threw them across the room; then I pictured him laughing at me, so I picked them up, sulking, and tossed them on the round table near the patio. I made myself thank him graciously for his gift that night, too. My hatred for him now knew no bounds. He gravely accepted my thanks, but I swore his eyes were twinkling.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I made it my business to be as pleasant as possible to all the soldiers in the house, chatting away with those that liked to chat, sitting quietly with those who were obviously shy and reticent, getting coffee and such for those who couldn't leave their posts for one reason or another, and so on. The regular soldiers, those who were communication specialists and such, were certainly more amiable toward me than Treize's Specials; in fact, they were the ones that appeared to have difficulty recalling why on earth I was there.  
  
Which, after all, was kinda the point.  
  
The Specials, on the other hand, were under no such illusions. For all I knew, they had my photograph in their locker room, stuck up on a board, with the words DANGEROUS CRIMINAL written across it in black felt marker. At least, that's how they acted. They pointedly ignored any friendly overtures I made to any of them, instead paying more attention to their beeping equipment than to me. In fact, they made it very clear that one of their jobs was to Keep An Eye On Po, and yes, that was in large capital letters. They weren't interested in small talk, they could care less if I stood next to them, they politely escorted me out of any location they didn't want me near, and they made it very clear they would lock me into my room if they felt it was necessary.   
  
Sheesh.  
  
Life on the postage stamp were getting very ... close. People were getting on my nerves, and I wanted some action. Obviously, my objective was to get into the basement, to the communication equipment, and the Specials' objective was to keep me out. That should have been Treize's objective, as well - to keep me out, that is - but he started to act strangely after we had been together for several weeks.  
  
He knew something. Even if he didn't know details, he knew something. He knew me well enough to realize that something was going on, and he made it very clear - at least to me - that was was going to let it happen.  
  
Never look a gift horse in the mouth. That was my motto.  
  
Treize even went so far as to tell me the dates and times he would be out of town. Smiling and nodding as he showed me his calendar, I felt like it was a test; that he was giving me the rope, just to see what I would do with it.  
  
~~Of course. It's much more amusing this way.~~  
  
I stopped thinking about voices in my head. They came and went; and I could tell them apart. I didn't even question how I could do that, but I could.   
  
Procuring a long coil of rope from an unused closet was no problem. Trowa secured the house blueprints for me, which I had been pouring over for days until I found what I thought was a foolproof way in and out of the lower levels. One that would NOT require Wufei.   
  
Wufei, I felt, was compromised - a liability - because of that absurd promise he made to Treize and that weird honor code of his. I realized, of course, that a large part of his sanity hinged on that honor code, so I wasn't about to force him into giving it up; but I certainly wasn't about to have him choose between me or it. I knew I'd lose in the end, and I hated to lose.  
  
Everything was in place. Treize was gone, and had casually mentioned he wasn't coming back tonight; the house was quiet, all had gone to sleep; and it was time to strike.  
  
I slipped into my regular pants and sweatshirt, walked out of my room and closed the door, and headed down the corridor for the first floor library.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Once I was there, I closed the door behind me, then lowered the lights to the dimmest setting and walked behind the large, green leather wingchair next to the fireplace. I had the nylon rope inside my sweatshirt, along with a flashlight and a few other tools. Dropping to my knees, I quickly unscrewed the nuts on the transom, stuck the flashlight in my teeth, slithered into the vent and pulled the plate closed after me.   
  
The vent was tall enough for me to kneel at that point, just as it had indicated on the drawing. I fastened one end of the rope to the transom grate, and payed it out behind me.  
  
It wasn't hard to find my way to the lab. When I kicked the last transom open, though, I felt as though I was taking my life in my hands. The metal clattering on the hard tile sounded as loud as a gong. My feet dangled above the floor; holding my flashlight in my mouth, I looked around and realized I was in a closet. I jumped to the ground and reprieved the transom grate, put it back, then moved over to the door, listening for activity.  
  
If I was where I hoped, this was Lab 2 - and Lab 2 was Satellite Communications. I knew the island's security features were on a different power grid, and frankly, that didn't interest me half as much as this room. The machinery in the room was silent; servers transferring information faster than I could understand were here, controlling OZ's information network around the world.  
  
I smiled. Good, good. This was going to be fun.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
One of the pluses of being a doctor was talking with people - that, and people trusted you. I became friendly with Steve, one of the non-Elite soldiers on the island, a communications type. Simply by being there when he needed a sympathetic ear and a friendly smile, I was able to memorize his access code and password. He, of course, had no idea what I was doing; poor guy probably figured I couldn't read upside down and sideways. I could also memorize where someone's fingers fell on a keyboard.   
  
I tapped away, using his access code and his password. When I saw what spread across the screen after I hit the enter key, I had to keep myself from whistling aloud. Steve hadn't been kidding about his access; he really DID have high security clearance.   
  
Wow. This was wonderful. I was practically drooling over the keys as the entire map of Europe and North Africa glowed green and blue in front of me, thin yellow stripes of yellow marking OZ's lines of communication across the continents. It was tempting, just so tempting, to take down as much of the grid as possible - but that would be extreme, and I probably wouldn't be able to get back into the lab again if I did that. My primary goal was to get as much information for the resistance as I possibly could and get out without detection. As I studied the grid, a pattern emerged. I smiled. There was a way - a very simple way, in fact - to disable Italy and Greece.  
  
For some odd reason, OZ routed all communications for those countries through just one satellite. Pretty damn stupid of them.   
  
I carefully disabled the satellite, making it look like a relay burnt out on the satellite and nothing rerouted around the fault. It certainly wouldn't do to have the malfunction traced back to this terminal, especially if the glitch was found to have occurred when no one was scheduled near this machine. While I was poking around, I also found the current ground codes used by OZ personnel. Grinning, I stared at the display and committed the codes to memory, thinking that Duo would certainly enjoy using them.  
  
Hah. I was feeling better by the moment. Good, good, good.  
  
Then my sixth sense kicked in - that crawling, unsettled feeling I had when it was time to leave. Quietly, efficiently, I put everything back exactly as I found it, slipped away from the console and back into the closet as silently as I arrived. I stacked small boxes on each other, slid the vent cover inside the vent and pulled myself up, holding my breath until my feet were in the duct.   
  
Gently replacing the transom grate, I crawled forward through the vent, pulling with my arms and pushing with my legs until I reached the end of the rope. I felt for the transom grate, pushed it to one side and pulled myself through the opening, congratulating myself on a job well done.  
  
Gads. I don't know why I do that, because every time - and yes, I do mean every time I do that - something goes wrong. It wasn't a moment after I replaced the transom grate and screwed it on tight, recoiled the rope, dusted off my pants and reached for the doorknob that I heard a low, throaty growl directly behind me.  
  
I froze in place, terrified. I knew what animal made that sound. It was one of Treize's dogs, one of the hounds from hell. This wasn't good - it wasn't good at all.  
  
My hands were shaking. I was at the door, after all, so I decided to see how far I could push my luck. Experimentally, I opened the door a little, just a crack -   
  
- and the growl became a louder rumble.  
  
Okay. Now I knew what happened. I closed the door. The noise went back down to a growl.  
  
Panic time. I thought the dogs were supposed to be OUTside, not inside; and what was I supposed to do? because Treize was gone and they only responded to him? My heart was beating loudly in my chest, and it hard to breathe.  
  
One low, threatening woof rumbled from the back of the room. It spurred me to action.  
  
~~Trowa. Trowa, can you hear me?~~  
  
~~Yes, Sally, I can.~~  
  
Relief. Extreme, heartfelt relief ran across my nerves when I heard his thoughts. ~~I - I'm stuck in one of the libraries with one of the dogs ... can you help me get out?~~  
  
~~I can.~~  
  
Several moments passed. Nothing happened. I was beside myself, completely distraught.  
  
~~.....Trowa - Trowa, please. This isn't funny. Help me get out of here.~~  
  
~~I cannot. 'May not' would be a better way of phrasing it.~~  
  
Speechless doesn't even cover my condition. I was panicking and slowly passing into a state of controlled hysteria. ~~But .... but .... Trowa, please .... you said you could ....~~  
  
~~I have that ability yes - but that is not what you were asking.~~  
  
~~Trowa - please, please don't leave me here. Help me ...~~  
  
~~I may not. This is in the written.~~  
  
~~Wha- what? WHAT? Trowa, there is a VERY large dog with VERY large teeth in here. I'd really like to leave the room now ....~~  
  
~~You will leave the room, but not until you are injured.~~  
  
Being gut-punched felt like this. ~~........what......? the ... you ... you will allow the dog ... to BITE me..........?~~  
  
~~Yes.~~ Said without hesitation, without thought.  
  
I was five years old again, crying against the inevitable. ~~But I don't want to be bitten ...........~~  
  
~~I know.~~ Surprisingly enough, there was a pause. Then: ~~I am sorry ....~~ as if the thought was new for him, a new concept.~  
  
~~Why can't you help me?~~ Plaintive - heartfelt - I couldn't give up, even though I knew the answer.  
  
~~Because it is not in the written,~~ he said gently, apologetically, ~~and I cannot act outside it.~~  
  
~~But ... but if the dog bites me ... he's not going to let go ... and other people are going to come, and ... and ... I'm going to get into a lot of trouble ... and ...~~ Thinking with him, though, helped me with other ideas. ~~Trowa - can you wake Wufei? Or could you speak to him in a dream?~~  
  
I glanced over to where I thought the dog was - and I couldn't really see the dog, but I thought I saw two round, glowing yellow eyes. I shivered, the tremor running down my arms and into my hands.  
  
~~I don't know.~~ He sounded doubtful.   
  
~~Yes, that's it! You can wake Wufei, and he can come down here and get me out.~~ I was grasping at straws, desperate. ~~That isn't going against the written, because he's not IN the written.~~  
  
~~I ... have never ... done this before ... ~~  
  
Those gleaming eyes moved a little closer. The predator closing in on the prey. I was sweating, shaking.  
  
~~Please ... please do something, Trowa. Anything's worth a try ...~~  
  
They're glowing on their own; just solid, unbroken yellow, and the growling was louder. Oh, gods, it was louder.  
  
~~But if I break the written, I cease to exist. I am not sure if this ... applies ... I am sorry, Sally ...~~  
  
I was breathing faster, my hand on the doorknob, ready to run for my life - what kind of hounds have solid yellow eyes? ~~Trowa ... please ...~~  
  
Without warning, the door was yanked open behind me. I staggered and fell out of the room; at the same time, the dog snarled and leaped at me, a solid 120 pound bullet of muscle and sinew aimed at my throat.  
  
"SALLY!"   
  
Wufei grabbed me around the waist, spun me about and neatly tossed me out of the way. At the same time, he executed a perfect spinning kick into the belly of the hound. Yelping in pain, the dog flew back into the room.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
He slammed the door shut, grabbed my arm and tore off down the hall. I didn't question him - I was happy enough to be away from there - but didn't understand why we were running. One look behind us, though, told the tale.  
  
That dog wasn't the only hellhound up and about. There was an entire PACK of them on our trail, eyes and teeth gleaming in the light.  
  
I screamed and ran.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
We reached the safety of Wufei's room, panting and staring at each other, the solid mahogany door now between us and the dogs.   
  
Wufei had thrown me in front of him when the hounds came too close, kicking another into the wall and smashing a third back into the pack. The dog tossed into the pack was only stunned, and was quickly on his feet; the one kicked into the wall, though, wasn't as lucky. That dog whined and growled, blood dripping from its muzzle, and stumbled to its feet. I never looked back to see what happened to it. Now there were sounds of snapping and snarling that filtered through the door, along with other unpleasant sounds I didn't want to think about.  
  
"Are you all right? I had a dream this was happening," Wufei said, holding my shoulders and looking me over from head to toe. "There was no reason for this. The dogs should not have been inside the house. Something is not right."  
  
I nodded, catching my breath. "I - I'm fine. I'm not hurt. But I thought the dogs were supposed to be outside ...?"  
  
"They were," he responded, grim. "I suspect Lady Une."  
  
"Une? You suspect her?" Strange, but even with all her anger and antipathy toward us, I never would have suspected that she would try to kill us in Treize's own home.  
  
"I don't know. I will find out." He gave me a very hard look. "You will sleep here tonight. That's an order."  
  
"But -"  
  
"Don't make me knock you out." It would have been funnier if he didn't mean it.  
  
I looked at him, closed my mouth and nodded, meek. "All right, Wufei. I will."  
  
He looked mollified, nodded as if pleased, then went to shower. Fortunately.   
  
Why did I say that? Because I still had the rope and my other equipment stuffed underneath my sweatshirt from my little adventure. I stowed it under his bed as soon as he was in the spray. And once I got rid of THAT stuff, I flopped back on the bed, took out my cellphone and dialed Duo.  
  
Ring, ring. Come on, come on, answer, dammit.  
  
He finally picked up, sounding sleepy. "...'lo?"  
  
"Duo," I hissed. "Don't have much time. Listen! You wanted information, yes? I have it."  
  
"Wha - wha - Sally? Sally! What's up? Go! I'm writing. "  
  
"Good. First. Here's the ground code OZ uses for communications in Italy and Greece - " - and I rattled of the code for him. I heard him scratching urgently on the other end.   
  
"Second. OZ communications have been disrupted in those two countries for at least the last twenty minutes. It should last the next hour or more. Go have fun."  
  
He was whooping with joy when I snapped the phone closed, grinning. It was nice to make people happy.  
  
I sank into the pillows in Wufei's bed, thinking about the reconnaissance mission tonight.   
  
"Sleep."  
  
I blinked up to find Wufei, looking sterner than usual, frowning down at me. "You're tired. Go to sleep. Now. No arguing."  
  
I was going to say something, but his expression warned me not to. "All right, Wufei. Good night."  
  
He had already pulled several blankets and a pillow from his closet and had arranged them on the large chair. This was becoming a habit with us, I noted wryly. First me, then him.  
  
I snuggled into the covers. I couldn't go to sleep, though, until I checked on someone else. ~~Trowa. Are you all right...?~~  
  
After a few moments hesitation - during which my heart stopped, I swore - he finally replied. ~~Yes, Sally. I'm all right.~~ He certainly didn't sound all right, though, nor did he feel all right, either.  
  
Such relief - I thought I had killed him, and I could NOT have lived with that guilt. ~~Trowa. You didn't change things. One who was outside the written changed things. ~~  
  
~~Yes, I know. If I had ... I would be gone. But ... everything... is CHANGED ...~~  
  
And the way he said that word - changed - was so supercharged and pregnant with meaning that I didn't feel I could rightfully ask anything else about it without him flying apart at the seams.  
  
~~Trowa - did Une release the dogs?~~  
  
~~Yes, she did. Treize ... will be displeased. In response, he will ... he ...~~  
  
Gads, he really wasn't doing well at all. Stammering was not his style, and that's what he was doing.  
  
~~I ... Une ... she ... seems ... in one of the ... futures I see ... to be attempting suicide ... I think .... Wufei replaces her ...~~  
  
~~No - oh no, Trowa -~~  
  
~~It is all in flux now, Sally. It is all unsettled. I cannot ... maintain ... balance ... I cannot see .... all in flux ...~~  
  
Then in a completely different tone, Trowa hissed into my mind: ==Treize is here==  
  
As if things weren't scary enough. He wasn't supposed to come back until tomorrow night, but he came back early for some unknown reason, and ... well. I could FEEL him. Such a sensation of power coming from him - of that same ESSENCE that was in that battle I witnessed. And the emotion coming from him right now was anger, white hot anger. This was not the time to stand up and be counted. In fact, I felt that this was the time for me to become one with my bedcovers, which I did, rather successfully. I felt small, and vulnerable, and very much afraid; I did NOT want to attract his attention, not at all.  
  
He swept by Wufei's room without stopping, and - I don't know how I saw this image, perhaps from Trowa - bent over the animal that was killed by its littermates and looked as though he was grieving. My head peeked out of the bedcovers a little, and I blinked. Something stirred inside me. An unfamiliar emotion to associate with Treize, but now it was there. His grief moved me; and that fact, the simple and tragic death of his pet, brought me a little closer to him.  
  
Then there was a sudden, painful yelping that split the spiritual air - a canine sound - which was cut off, as cleanly as if sliced. A large wave of emotion followed that, sadness and loss, that was just as quickly cauterized. I looked around, confused. Could everyone feel that?  
  
~~No, Sally. You are sensitive - you felt it. No one else did. He killed the dogs.~~  
  
Horrified, I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. ~~He killed them? But why? ~~  
  
~~Because they turned on their own kind. Once they tasted that flesh, their deaths were inevitable. He weeps.~~  
  
I was taken completely by surprise by my own feelings; sorrow and pity for Treize. Not only did he grieve for the dog that died, he had to destroy all his dogs. I remembered the way he looked when he introduced me to his dogs, proud and happy, a man who loved his dogs. It was awful.  
  
~~Save your pity for Une. This would not have happened had she not attempted to harm you both by putting the dogs in the house. She is paranoid. Treize's anger is growing against her. There is little in this world that can make him grieve, but this is one thing that can.~~  
  
~~What - what will he do to her?~~  
  
~~That I cannot see. I can only tell you what IS. Now ... he weeps.~~  
  
I could feel how distraught Trowa was. I was feeling a little frantic and distraught myself. And very guilty, which was something that again took me by surprise. This was my fault, in some weird way.  
  
~~I feel ... I feel it is my fault, Trowa.~~  
  
~~It is done, Sally. Feel no guilt.~~  
  
~~I can't help it. I - I feel this. I feel pity for Treize, and fear for Une, and guilt that it would not have happened save for me ...~~  
  
Oh, and that was right. Had I not been out of my room, sneaking around at night, this would not have happened. I wouldn't have tempted fate by being in that library, and Wufei wouldn't have had to rescue me yet again, meaning that he wouldn't have injured that hound to the point where the others turned on him, killed him and -  
  
~~Sally. Enough.~~  
  
~~Trowa. I put you in danger - and Wufei - and -~~  
  
~~Sally. This happened, which means it is in the Written, over which none of us has control.~~  
  
I tried to listen to him; really, I did. But I was also listening to noises from the hallway, and there were none. It was silent.  
  
~~........he would talk to you, if you went. He is telling me this.~~ Trowa sounded slightly pleased. ~~He does not know where I am.~~  
  
I decided to do it before I changed my mind. Without waking Wufei, I crawled out of bed, padded over to the door and slipped into the hallway. Once in the hallway, I saw a room at the end with a light. Silent, I walked to the doorway of that room and stood there, waiting for him to acknowledge me.  
  
Treize sat at his desk, slightly disheveled, tired, his shirt unbuttoned, fingers combing through his hair, staring straight ahead, not looking at me. He continued to sit and stare for a few moments.  
  
I, on the other hand, watched him, very unsure of what to do next. Following another hunch - another instinct - I slowly walked into his office and put my hand on his shoulder, the first time I voluntarily touched him.   
  
He turned and looked at me, meeting my gaze, unsmiling. I simply looked back at him, offering him sympathy and compassion as best I could. Finally, he attempted a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Ah ... Sally. You even try to soothe the pain of your enemy?"  
  
"I ... cannot do anything else, Treize," I whispered, looking at him. "You have such pain."  
  
He snorted softly and closed his eyes. "And what do you know of it, Sally? You have not even lived a full thirty years in cognizance of your surroundings. You live in a world where creating new life is simply something that happens, even by accident."  
  
I blinked at him, saying nothing. He looked down, his mouth a tight line, gave a slow sigh, then glanced back at me with a wry smile. "And why are you here, Sally? Why did you come?"  
  
I drew a deep breath and looked right at him. "I am sorry, Treize. I - " Suddenly, I became confused and blinked, frowning. "I had to." He gave me a piercing look, as if trying to see to the bottom of my soul. I let him look as I continued. "It was ... I felt something. Pain. I had to help." I certainly wasn't going to tell him it was my fault he had to kill his dogs, but I was honest enough that I couldn't look him in the eye any more.  
  
He laughed bitterly. "Indeed. Well, let me tell you what you 'felt,' Sally. You felt me doing the unpleasant duty of destroying something I helped create, something that I loved very much, simply because it was my duty. That is ... terribly unpleasant, don't you think?"  
  
Now he was frightening. I whispered, "Yes," and waited for him to continue. I knew he wasn't finished; he was lost in thought, staring at the far wall. His eyes weren't even blue anymore - they were bronze. Yep, definitely scary.  
  
"Years of work - gone in one night. Tell me, Sally. What would you do if a soldier under your command disobeyed your orders - specific orders, mind you - in order to harm something you treasured? And in the process, destroyed some very valuable material? Something irreplaceable?"  
  
Okay. This was it. Une's fate hung in the balance. I took a deep breath before beginning. "I don't know. Are there already penalties set up for disobeying direct orders in this situation?"  
  
"Yes - but this officer was considered to be above reproach. It is a very difficult situation."   
  
"Can you think of any mitigating circumstances that would render this officer - ah - not in his or her right mind?" I tried to give him a meaningful look.  
  
Treize seemed to be thinking. "Very little, Sally," he said, low. "Very little that would excuse behavior of this nature."  
  
"Possibly - not excuse the behavior," I pressed, taking a shaky breath, standing next to him, "but rather, mitigate any due punishment...?"  
  
Treize turned to look at me; when he did, his eyes changed from bronze to blue. He was back in control, studying me.  
  
Wow.   
  
"You would ... ask for mercy, ne? You do ... don't you. It's in your nature."  
  
I nodded. "Yes," I said, my voice low. "I... yes. I would."  
  
He looked at me for a long moment, then put his hand on mine. I was startled, but didn't pull away.  
  
"Indeed. How ... interesting ...." he said softly, looking at me. He let go of my hand and stood, looking weary. "You may tell Wufei that walking about at night is certainly no longer a danger ... at least, not at present."  
  
"All right. Good night, Treize." I turned to leave.  
  
"Sally?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you like a field trip tomorrow? I've kept you closed up here for weeks now. Perhaps some time off the island would be good for you. Unless you have something else planned ...?"  
  
I blinked. Gads ... time off the postage stamp? I smiled. "No, I have nothing else planned. That would be ... very nice."  
  
"Indeed." His shoulders sagged a little. "Off to bed now, my dear. It is late. And thank you for your compassion. I doubt any but you could have offered it."  
  
"You're welcome, Treize. It is genuine. Good night."  
  
I left the room and walked down the hallway toward Wufei's room; as I looked back, the light went out before I was halfway down the corridor. 


	30. Chapter 29

Tapestry Chapter 29  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wufei ...?"  
  
I sat up, squinting, and felt confused. Why was I in bed, and Wufei standing next to the window? Was this my room? His room? For a moment, I didn't recall; then blood drained from my face as I stared at Wufei's profile, images racing through my mind, and I remembered.  
  
The dog leaping toward me, snarling, his teeth wet and glistening, breath foul and hot; Wufei's strong hands as he jerked and spun me, shoving me out of harm's way. How I staggered, dizzy and gasping at the jolt of pain that hammered through my arms as I caught myself from smacking headlong into the wall.   
  
Hearing the sickening crunch of bone and the immediate howl of pain from the hound that told me he was no longer a threat; then feeling Wufei's hands again, sure and strong, propelling me down the hallway as he shouted, urging me to run faster. And finally the cold, metallic taste of absolute fear when I realized the rest of the pack was after us, amber eyes glowing, intent on ripping the flesh from our bones. Wufei's quick thinking and the solid mahogany door between us and the hounds were the only things that saved us from certain death.  
  
Just another night on the island. Gads.  
  
"He killed the dogs." Wufei gazed out the window, not looking at me.  
  
I was silent for a few moments. Apparently, Treize hadn't told Wufei about our conversation. That was interesting. "So, that means ... no more dogs outside at night." I tried to look a little shocked for his benefit.   
  
Wufei shrugged. "He'll replace them." Wufei appeared stoic, but I knew better. Inspecting his face closely showed me shadows under his eyes and raging guilt inside them. If I knew Wufei - and I did - he probably slept very little last night, if at all.  
  
"I didn't mean to cause this," he blurted suddenly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I -" He stopped, sighed, then started again, his head sagging. "He doesn't blame me."  
  
Pushing the cover to one side, I slid out of bed, padded over and stood next to him. "Blame you? For what? Why should he blame you? I don't understand."  
  
Wufei's body language, usually so tight and controlled, gave away his dismay. "Because the injury I caused when I kicked one of the dogs out of the way was the reason he had to destroy them all. Once the other dogs smelled blood and realized that animal was injured, they turned on him. Attacked him. They ripped him to pieces. Then they - they -"  
  
Gods, I knew what happened. I could see it in his face. And I understood Treize's logic - once those dogs tasted the flesh of their own kind, he felt he had to destroy them. "But, Wufei," I broke in, trying to spare him from describing the grisly details, "the dogs were attacking us. It's not as if you could have simply pushed them out of the way. That was the only way to get them away."  
  
He shook his head and turned toward the window, looking at the sky, not answering.  
  
"Did you find out why they were in the house in the first place?'  
  
"No, although it must have been Une. They're not trained to obey anyone else."  
  
"I didn't realize they were trained to obey her." I had hoped Trowa was wrong, but - well. Apparently not.   
  
"Of course they obey her - she's his right hand. They were trained to obey Treize and Une - no one else." But Wufei still had this guilty air about him, as if he had personally slaughtered the hounds.  
  
I put my hand on his arm. "Wufei. Really. There was nothing else you could have done."  
  
"That's not true," he snapped automatically, scowling at the ground. "I could have been less clumsy. Treize created this breed - or helped - so I know he can get more. But still, I should have placed my kicks lower." Now guilt seemed to flow from him like honey. Even I could taste it.  
  
"Would you rather that the dog in the library had ripped me to pieces without a second thought?" I asked him quietly. "Or perhaps you? Because that's what would have happened had you not acted as quickly as you did."  
  
"That dog was trained to attack, Sally."  
  
"Yes, but Wufei, I'm sure none of the dogs were trained to release their prey except to their masters. That means that had you not been as direct as you were, both you and I would have been large, bloody messes on the floor, discovered by Treize when he came home. I doubt very much he would have wanted that to happen."  
  
Wufei was silent, thinking. "He wouldn't, would he ...?" He was looking more disturbed by the moment.  
  
"No, Wufei, he wouldn't."  
  
"But … why?"  
  
I stared at him, my hand falling to my side. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Why wouldn't he want to find us as dead, bloody pulps when he came home? It would be so much easier for him."  
  
Incredible. This boy was simply incredible. I couldn't help but stare at him with my mouth slightly open. "Wufei," I said, speaking slowly. "He's already decided that he's taking the trouble. That's not up for debate. That's fact. You and I can't change it. You have to move on from there."  
  
"But - why?" His voice became a little more strident, more demanding.  
  
I looked straight into his face. "He has decided, for his own reasons that he's going to keep us here with him. Indefinitely." I shrugged, hiding, I hoped, my own feelings.  
  
Indefinitely. Forever. Permanent. Never ending. For always. With someone immortal and incredibly non-human.   
  
Dear gods, how frightening was that? I tried to push my feelings away so I could deal with Wufei or at least help him deal with his feelings. Mine could wait until later. Much later.  
  
A beat passed. " … but … WHY!?!" He practically shouted the last word at me, he was so upset. "WHY did he decide that? WHY doesn't he want us dead? WHY does he spoil us, without pressing us for information, without trying to turn us against out own, without trying to use us in any plots at all - WHY?" He was panting, his eyes large with frustration. "And don't give me this 'he wants to seduce you' nonsense, because that is complete bullshit."  
  
The weight of one hundred years pressed on my heart. "Because, Wufei … because he wants you - us - to come to him of our own accord. Of our own free will."  
  
"But WHY?"  
  
"Because," I said heavily, "it means more if you make that decision, and make that last step yourself than if he makes it for you."  
  
"That makes no SENSE," Wufei snapped, "and it doesn't answer the question. Why would he want that at all?"  
  
I could see that Wufei was in deep denial, and wasn't about to acknowledge that he understood what I meant by 'coming to him.' I was dogged, but not stupid.   
  
"I think, Wufei," I said, allowing the tiredness I felt seep into my voice, "you're asking why Treize wants you - erm, us - and the only answer I can give you is that he … well. He just does." I looked at him sadly. "He has his reasons."  
  
Wufei gave an explosive sigh. "That's good for him. But not for me. I want some answers. Soon." His fists were tightly clenched, and his entire body seemed to quiver.  
  
"Yes, I can see that." Personally, I didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to hold out not knowing something.  
  
"Come on," he ordered, pushing himself away from the window. "Go shower. I'll wait. I put clean clothes in the bath for you." He glowered at me. "You'll like them. Use them."  
  
The thought of Wufei rifling through my underwear drawer and choosing something for me to wear was amusing enough to make me feel marginally better. I smiled. "Thank you, Wufei. I'll be quick."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
We shuffled down the hallway toward the dining room sometime later. I was showered and dressed, and Wufei had been as good as his word. His taste was fine, if conservative. I was wearing blue trousers and a white shirt, and felt about as blah and dull as the weather. Leaden clouds in a gray, overcast, sky made the normally warm air feel damp and cool.   
  
  
  
As we passed Treize's office, Wufei turned his head, a strange expression on his face. I followed his glance, wondering. I thought I heard something unfamiliar coming from the other side of the door –   
  
Apparently Wufei did, too, as he walked directly over to the office, opened the door, and stuck his head inside.  
  
"Wufei! Good morning, good morning. Come in - look!"  
  
Treize sounded thrilled. Wufei gasped and walked in without a backwards glance. I sighed and followed him, the unmistakable sounds of dog panting floating out from the office.  
  
Yay. More hounds from hell.  
  
Tentatively, I poked my head around the door and looked inside. There was Treize, sitting on the floor next to a very alive, adult hound who was ALSO sitting on the floor. The fact that the dog's head was well above Treize's as they sat together was one on which I didn't care to dwell.  
  
  
  
"He was locked in the library! He didn't get into the mess the others did." Treize literally beamed at us, then turned his attention back to the dog. "Did you … no, you're a good boy," he crooned, scratching energetically behind the dog's ears.  
  
Relief visibly washed through Wufei as he watched. I, on the other hand, shrank back against the doorway; I did not want to be anywhere near that dog. It was the same one that attacked me last night, all glistening fangs and yellow eyes. Of course, he didn't look like that now. Calm face Sally, calm breath, calm face, slow breath, I told myself as I stared, willing my feet to stay in one place.   
  
  
  
" …this is wonderful! The puppies should have no difficulty adjusting now."  
  
"Pu - puppies?" I asked, hating how weak I sounded.  
  
"Oh, yes," Treize nodded, cheerful. "I recalled the name of the breeder who assisted me with these marvelous canines in the first place. His prize bitch just had a litter, more's the luck."  
  
I groaned inwardly. Oh, yes, what luck. Lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky, the gods knew I was just so lucky…  
  
Wufei blushed at the use of the word 'bitch,' staring down at the dog. The dog, for his part, looked up at Treize and woofed once, giving his opinion. I blanched and felt every muscle in my body contract at that sound, screaming to me to get out of there.   
  
"Come here, Wufei. I want him to be more familiar with your scent so this doesn't happen again."  
  
Wufei blinked and looked at Treize, puzzled.   
  
  
  
"Come. Here." Treize sounded friendly, but there was something in his demeanor, something in the way he spoke that had the tone of command  
  
.  
  
Still bemused, Wufei did as he was told, walking to Treize's side. The dog   
  
immediately thrust his nose against Wufei's hand and sniffed.  
  
"There's a good boy," Treize murmured in approval, petting the dog's head. As I watched, it occurred to me that Treize could have just as easily been talking to   
  
Wufei as the dog. Wufei looked at Treize, still confused, then turned his attention to the dog. At that moment, the adult dog decided that he liked Wufei, and bumped his large chest against Wufei's legs, asking for attention.   
  
Everything about Wufei relaxed; his shoulders dropped, the breath sighed out of his lungs and he allowed himself to smile. He chuckled, bent down and started to pet the dog, his fingers aggressive and skilled. From Wufei's perspective, everything and everyone in the room quickly faded and was soon forgotten. The dog claimed all his attention, making low, pleased noises every time Wufei found a favorite spot, and continued to bump his muscled body into his legs.  
  
Treize straightened to his full height, looking quite pleased. He glanced once in my direction. I realized that he hadn't invited me to become familiar with the dog as he had Wufei. Was that significant? Probably - but I had to ask myself why he would want go to the trouble of introducing me to the dogs. It was obvious what was happening, and it certainly didn't include me.  
  
After several minutes of intensive petting, Wufei slowly came back to himself. He disengaged from the large dog and stood back, eyeing Treize with suspicion, his guard back up.   
  
"Breakfast, anyone?"  
  
"Well - yes, that would be fine -" I started.  
  
"Not here." Treize interrupted with a playful smile. "I told you - field trip, remember?"  
  
Wufei looked bewildered. "Field trip? But you said -"  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Saa, you've been cooped up long enough. Let's go!" He clapped his hands together and shooed us out of the room, the large dog trotting behind. "A rainy day is the perfect time for this."  
  
I looked up at him, completely confused. "For going out? Really?"  
  
"Of course," he answered, smiling. "Museums are made for rainy days, in my opinion."  
  
My eyes widened at his answer. "Ah …"  
  
Wufei looked very confused and sullen. "But you said -"  
  
Treize waved one hand. "Enough. Sally, do dress warmly. Your outfit is fine, but I believe you'll need a jacket as well."  
  
I automatically looked down at myself, feeling a little flustered. "I … yes, all right, Treize. I'll go get one."   
  
He nodded, pleased. "Good. I'll wait here. And Wufei, do me a favor and wait for me in the front library, hmm?"  
  
Wufei stared at Treize, unsure. "All right."  
  
We both left, glancing at each other then back at Treize. The dog followed Wufei to the library; I hurried to my room, chose a blue jacket and shrugged into it, then quickly rushed back, wondering why he separated us. It didn't make sense.   
  
  
  
"That should do splendidly," he said, smiling at me as I returned. "Your escort will be here any minute. I made sure to pick people who at LEAST were on good terms with you." He winked at me, as if he did me a big favor. "No Specials."  
  
"What?" I blinked, puzzled, not understanding what he was saying.   
  
  
  
"Hmm. I don't think you have an umbrella. Just in case …" He stopped speaking and walked past me, very calm and friendly. I watched him go, still trying to sort out what on earth he was saying. No specials? No special what? No special –  
  
Then it hit me. Oh. No Specials. He was sending ME on a field trip, with an   
  
escort. Not with Wufei. Wufei was staying here. With Treize.   
  
  
  
"Would you mind terribly an ivory colored umbrella?"  
  
I slowly turned my head toward him as yet more information clicked into place. Ye gods, he was sending me out with a military escort; the military was taking me out of here.  
  
" … it's the closest thing to a feminine one that I own."  
  
" …um .. no. Fine. Thank you." Distracted. I was distracted. Who cares what freaking color the umbrella was? Give me hot pink, for all I care. He's sending me out of the house, making sure that those no-necked thugs with guns were going to take me somewhere - where? To a museum? Thrust me in front of a painting for three minutes, and then march me to another painting where we'd play out that entire nasty scene again and again? Gee, that sounded like a perfect way to spend a day away from the island.  
  
I shifted my attention from Treize to the military personnel waiting at the end of the hallway and almost died from the shock. There was Steve, standing in a small knot of soldiers, dressed in casual clothes. Steve, the very same soldier whose code I used to break into OZ's Italian organization last night. There he was, standing with his hands in his pockets, looking a little nervous but nevertheless the same, smiling man who trusted me enough to let me read over his shoulder.  
  
I didn't even WANT to know how he came to be there.   
  
  
  
"Oh, and I took the liberty of finding a rain jacket for you -"  
  
There was no way possible I could have responded to Treize. I stood there, helplessly staring at Steve, trying to keep my face composed. Treize gently put the coat in my hands. I looked down, and for a moment, I couldn't distinguish where my coat ended and my aura began. It was odd; I blinked several times to clear my vision. Finally I realized the coat was actually the same color as my aura, very pretty, very feminine. I turned it over and dipped my right arm into it. Treize was behind me immediately, helping me put it on.  
  
"Thank you, Treize," I murmured, looking down. My heart was pounding so hard it was going to leap right out of my chest. He knew, he had to. Why else would Steve be there? What was Treize going to do? Throw us in jail? Throw me in jail? What was he waiting for?  
  
"Of course, Sally," he said gently. "Anything I can do. It's about time you got away from us; I'm merely sorry I didn't think to do it before."  
  
I looked up at him - suspicious, searching. He looked back at me, smiling, completely innocent, hiding nothing - and there were no undercurrents, no covert messages, nothing out of the ordinary. Gods. Should I trust my feelings, and just … go with this?   
  
  
  
"Now - I WILL require that you stay with your escort. Except, perhaps for a trip to the restroom, please don't leave his sight. If all goes well, you will be back by dinner time. If you wish to stay longer, simply let him know. Any questions?"  
  
"No, Treize," I said, shaking my head, sighing, "everything is perfectly clear. I know what you want." And I did, too. He wanted me away from Wufei so he could do whatever he wanted.  
  
"Want?" he asked, looking surprised. "I simply want some fresh air for all of us."  
  
"Of course." I shrugged. "I won't leave my escort's sight." And I wasn't about to tell him I knew what he really wanted, either. Fat chance of that.  
  
He nodded. "Don't be gone TOO long. Wufei will miss you."  
  
Wow. That was totally unexpected. Nothing like zapping me with a little guilt to keep me off balance. "Oh, I'm sure you'll keep him busy."   
  
"It's up to him to keep himself busy," Treize said, giving an elegant shrug of his shoulders. "I have plenty to do without babysitting." He winked at me again. "And I am sorry that you've been called on to baby-sit so often of late." He stepped closer and took my hand, his gaze becoming softer and more intense. I didn't know what he was doing, but I couldn't pull away; I was pinned, like the butterfly to the collector's corkboard.  
  
"And for last night," he murmured, his voice a velvety purr, "I do thank you. I am … unused to loss. It's a very strange thing." His gaze, once locked on mine, slid away to the side and began to take on some of the expression of last night.   
  
  
  
"Loss … is an awful experience," I agreed, feeling myself warm toward him, my body swaying toward his. I could feel his hurt, his pain, and wanted to assuage it, to tamp it out.  
  
His voice softer still, Treize replied, "Yes. I … I wanted to do … something … for you. Silly, perhaps - but I do know cabin fever when I see it. Or should I call it island fever?"   
  
  
  
I gave him a small, hesitant smile. "I didn't realize it was so obvious."  
  
He looked amused. "I am a student of human nature, Sally. You are not overt - fear not. But I think I know you well enough by now to be able to tell. I am sorry I cannot give you more. I could not even do this for Wufei - he would be recognized, and likely attacked."  
  
Slightly shocked, I heard the truth in his words. "Why - that's right," I said, surprised. "That's exactly what would have happened." Rather than Treize trying - well - whatever I thought he was going to do to Wufei, he had actually been thinking about Wufei's welfare.   
  
  
  
I was imagining what people might have done had they actually realized a gundam pilot was walking around in their midst. I snapped back to the present, though, when I realized Treize was still talking to me. "At the very least," Treize was saying dryly, "he'd have several injured police officers and citizens on his hands. I do believe he's had enough that that kind of problem, don't you?"  
  
"Ah … yes, Treize." Now I felt about three inches tall and rather guilty, because I hadn't taken that into consideration at all. What would have happened had we broken free of the island and sauntered onto the mainland, only to land in the middle of an angry mob? I'd need to rethink that aspect.  
  
"He has enough to carry," Treize continued, sighing. "Saa … but I am making you late! Forgive me." He gave my hand a last little squeeze and let go. "Now, your escort has the money for both of you …"  
  
I glanced down the hall and saw Steve watching us. He couldn't hear what was said, but he could certainly see all the action. And it was strange, but I had the feeling that he didn't like Treize holding my hand or standing so close. Steve wasn't aware of it, I was sure, but I felt that type of charged, possessive energy coming directly from him. Strange …  
  
"On you go, now. Don't be late!"   
  
"All right, Treize. Thanks again." I smiled back at him, then turned and walked down the hallway toward the soldiers, carrying the ivory umbrella.   
  
Steve smiled at me, very proper, and snapped to attention. "This way, please, Ms. Po." He had a pleasant baritone, and ushered me quickly from the dining room to the living room, then out the front door onto the porch and toward the docks.  
  
"And where are we going, Steve?" I asked, tilting my head a bit as I opened the umbrella on the porch, preparing to walk to the ship.  
  
"Why … Rome, Ms. Po. Didn't the general tell you?" He looked truly amazed.  
  
I looked at him and laughed, startled. "No, Steve. No, he didn't. I imagine he wanted that to be a surprise."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was astonishing. I felt … almost normal.  
  
We sat in one of those charming small Italian cafés, surrounded by upbeat, chattering people from all over Europe. Even though the sky was overcast and gray, to me everything was bright and cheerful and spontaneous with no undercurrent of oppression or darkness at all. I smiled at Steve, and as strange as it seemed, my smile was real. Genuine. I caught myself feeling happy, really happy, for the first time in months. It was an odd feeling, to be sure; I felt guilty because I was having fun.   
  
A small carafe of red wine, complementing our bowl of pasta sat on the table between us. I moved to pour Steve a glass of wine.  
  
"No, Ms. Po. I can't drink while I'm on duty."  
  
"Oh? But Steve, I thought that Treize expressly said you were supposed to insure my comfort as well as my safety while we were out today, isn't that true?"  
  
"Yes, Ms. Po, but -"  
  
"Well, Steve, if that's true, then I'm afraid you're going to have to join me in a glass of wine. After all -" and I gave him a conspirator's smile as I filled his glass three quarters of the way full, "I can't drink by myself. It isn't sociable, and it certainly isn't done. I would feel much more comfortable if you would actually enjoy yourself. Surely a glass of wine would not impair your judgment that much …?"   
  
"No, Ms. Po," Steve sighed, "one glass of wine would not impair my judgment. You are correct -the general did command me to insure that you were comfortable." Reluctantly he gave in and drank part of the first glass.   
  
I snickered to myself. Good.   
  
  
  
Periodically I reached across to refill my glass and his, making sure he had as much wine as I did. By the middle of the meal and his second glass, his reluctance had vanished and he had finally started to unbend. In fact, I noticed that he had started to look at me for longer and longer periods of time, and each time, his expression softened just a little. By the end of our meal, he was giving me the 'wow, she's beautiful' look I used to see on some of my soldiers' faces.  
  
He was also totally unaware he was doing it.   
  
  
  
I sighed, feeling vaguely disappointed at something, but made sure to show him nothing except a cheerful face. Steve was a clever, sweet, handsome guy. Not very good on the security front, but really - he had been recruited for his communication skills, not his security skills. I knew that because he recounted his entire life story to me. A little wine, a little cognac, a little probing, and he had been more than willing to tell me anything I wanted to know. He hardly noticed I did little more than smile and nod encouragingly. Ready and willing to burst, Steve told me things I knew he'd regret later if he thought about it rationally; however, he certainly wasn't thinking rationally at the moment.  
  
In fact, that hesitant, shy smile he was giving me was anything BUT rational.   
  
Now I felt guilty about using his code. It was different when he was just another OZ soldier, but now … now I knew him, at least a little, and knew how relatively innocent he was. He really did believe in what he was doing. Up to this point, Steve had never been given an order he had actively questioned as I had. However, he wasn't like the regular OZ trooper just blindly following orders. Many of his stories showed him to be a resourceful person, someone willing to take initiative. In fact, had circumstances been different, I would have tried to recruit him myself.   
  
  
  
We left the café and started our museum tour after lunch, setting a leisurely pace through a few small, intimate galleries off the regular tourist path. Even though the weather wasn't the best, the walk was so lovely and the location so refreshing I felt renewed.   
  
Vibrant colors swirled in front of me as I studied a lovely Matisse painting. "Ah, isn't this gorgeous, Steve? I haven't seen this artist's work in such a long time. What do you think?"   
  
"Yes, it is beautiful," he replied, smiling at me, a strange, intense look in his eyes. "Ms. Po - did I tell you - I studied premed before I joined OZ …?"  
  
"You … what?" I blinked, more than a little shocked at the change in subject and the subject itself. Communications people normally had no interest in biology, chemistry, or any of the life science courses taught for premed requirements.  
  
"I was interested. I wanted to help people. It just seemed the right thing to do at the time," he explained, shrugging, a rueful grin peeking out at me.  
  
"Oh. Well. Yes, that would be one way …" I trailed off, smiling faintly. Wow. He was just so cute. He liked me, I knew it; and more than that, he wanted to have some kind of relationship with me. I knew that, too, because he had said as much at lunch about relationships - that he wasn't interested in the 'quick and dirty' type. I could tell, however, that even though he thought he was interested in me, he was going to have difficulty resolving issues about my being tried as a war criminal.  
  
Ah, yes. Politics yet again foiling the way of true love. I looked at the floor and bit my lip to keep from smiling. Really, my sense of irony was going to get me in trouble if I didn't keep it in check. Steve was a terribly nice person - someone who, in my younger years, I would have liked. He was nice, unassuming, gentlemanly - smart, but not overbearing.   
  
Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Not for me, not anymore. I had seen too much and knew too much about the world to ever believe in the absolutes that Steve took for granted.   
  
"Shall we go?" He held out his arm with a smile. I took it and we strolled out of the gallery, back onto the streets of Rome.  
  
It was night. The stars were barely visible in the sky against the bright lights of Rome. We were traveling back to the dock, several hours later, in a lovely little sports car that made driving and riding a pleasure. Steve was taking the scenic way back to the pier. I appreciated that, not only for the architecture along the way, but because this had been such a pleasant day that I didn't want it to end.   
  
Hah. But Treize did make it rather plain that he expected me back at a specific time, didn't he? And Steve was nothing if not prompt. However, Treize and Wufei had been alone all day, and that made me feel uneasy.   
  
  
  
That, however, I could remedy rather quickly. I smiled at Steve, drew his jacket closer about me and settled back into my seat, watching the scenery flash by the window.  
  
~~Trowa - Trowa, are you there? Can you hear me?~~  
  
It took a few seconds, but he finally answered. ~~Yes, Sally, I can hear you.~~  
  
I smiled to myself. ~~Excellent. Tell me, please - has anything happened between Wufei and Treize while I've been away?~~  
  
~~Yes, Sally.~~  
  
There was a lengthening silence while I waited for Trowa to elaborate. When he didn't, I thought my stomach had dropped into my toes and my lungs had shriveled up. Finally, I had to ask. I couldn't stand it anymore.  
  
~~What happened, Trowa? What? Tell me - ~~  
  
~~They ate breakfast together,~~ he started, his mental tone expressionless and flat. ~~Then Wufei trained for two and one half hours. After training, Wufei showered and changed. He studied the culture of the Aztec for over an hour. They ate lunch together. Wufei read for some time. Then he played a word game with himself. He trained for two more hours. He is currently in the shower.~~  
  
I stared outside the car, bewildered. That was total nonsense. Why did he bother to tell me anything at all? I asked if anything had happened between Wufei and Treize, and this is what he told me?  
  
Hmmm. Perhaps I needed to be more specific. I rolled my eyes. Bah. Fates.   
  
~~Ah … Trowa. Let me rephrase. When Wufei was with Treize, did anything occur between them that could be construed as overtly sexual?~~  
  
There. That should do it. Even a moron would understand that.  
  
He was silent for a few moments. ~~I do not know. Possibly. He was silent again. It felt as if he was considering his next words carefully. There were several occasions where Wufei reacted oddly, as if he expected something to happen which did not. Once such time occurred at lunch. Treize reached for his napkin, which was beside Wufei's hand. He did not touch Wufei; however, Wufei reacted as though he expected the touch, in that he jumped and yanked his hand back.~~  
  
  
  
~~Yes, that sounded like Wufei, anticipating 'the worst.' Was that all?~~  
  
~~No. When Wufei realized Treize had no intention of touching him, he grew very confused, and remained that way for the rest of the meal Is this helpful?~~  
  
I made sure to keep my face carefully turned away from Steve. ~~Yes, it is. Treize … is systematically breaking down Wufei's self imposed barriers by purposely confusing him.~~  
  
~~It seems to me Treize's goal with the confusion has been to convince Wufei of his weakness. I have long thought that Treize would use Wufei's code of honor against him. Wufei already does not know what he is or what he truly believes.~~  
  
Damn. Trowa saw that, too. I felt moody. ~~Very true. He is tearing him apart, bit by bit, so that when there is nothing left, Wufei will need to turn to someone to find relief, and that someone will be Treize.~~  
  
~~No, he would not,~~ Trowa replied, calm. ~~I do not believe that is Treize's goal. Wufei would suffer alone before turning to Treize. I believe Treize will cut away at him as you said - but then force Wufei to turn to him. The combination of the two will begin to break down his barriers, thus changing his mind.~~  
  
I sighed. This was completely depressing. ~~Trowa. Could you tell me something else? Something other than what happened between Wufei and Treize on the island?~~  
  
~~I can,~~ he murmured, miserable, ~~usually. I cannot see … well.~~  
  
~~Can you tell me - did OZ experience any communication problems last night or today?~~  
  
~~Yes. Your actions threw the entire Italian sector into complete confusion.~~  
  
~~Really? Oh, good! What happened, specifically? Was Duo able to use the information I gave him?~~ I was so incredibly happy I felt as though I was smiling from ear to ear. I turned to Steve and looked right at him, grinning, with it worked! It worked! It worked! running through my head like a mantra.  
  
~~Yes, Duo was able to use it - but it is all being changed right now. It was determined that something was hacked, and the information taken was guessed. Not accurately, but quite close.~~  
  
Steve smiled back, taking his gaze off the road for a moment. His eyes appeared to widen for a moment when he saw my face, then he inhaled a little and looked back at the oncoming traffic. I saw a different expression cross his face for a moment, one that looked like longing.  
  
~~Well - Trowa - okay - but could they tell where the hack occurred? And what password was used? That's important.~~  
  
~~Yes.~~  
  
I froze.  
  
~~But only two people know. And Treize sent them on missions off-world.~~  
  
Everything about me froze. I couldn't blink if someone had paid me. Steve gave me a questioning look. ~~But … Trowa … if Treize SENT them … then … then …~~  
  
~~He sent them away with instructions not to tell anyone what they knew. Naturally they gave him their information. He knows whose code was used.~~  
  
Cold, cold, I felt so cold now. I was smiling at Steve, but all the joy had been siphoned from the night, instantly replaced instead by fear. ~~He - he knows? He allowed me to disable OZ? Why?~~  
  
~~I do not know for certain. I can only surmise from his past history that he found something else worth protecting. That, and because it was not an impossible disturbance. Only one small sector was temporarily disturbed.~~  
  
~~Oh … I suppose, but - I'm still not sure I understand.~~  
  
I envied Trowa's calm. ~~Perhaps it is an indication that he is willing to let it go. It could also be his way of making your punishment more poignant if this young man suffers because his code was used.~~  
  
I sucked my breath in between my teeth. ~~ …oh, gods no, Trowa -~~  
  
~~I cannot tell, Sally. It could be as simple as having something to hold over your head. Leverage. There are many, many reasons.~~  
  
"You don't want to go back that badly?" Steve's gentle voice broke into my thoughts, startling me. I was surprised to see we had stopped at a traffic light.  
  
"I - I have to go back." I sighed.  
  
"I know that. I … I'm just asking." His voice was soft, and his gaze held mine.   
  
I couldn't look at him anymore; I looked at my hands instead and shrugged. "I'd rather stay here, in Rome, if I had a choice," I murmured. "But I have to go back. I could never leave Wufei."  
  
Steve blinked and drooped just a little. "Well … of course you have to go back, Sally. I mean - Ms. Po." Even in the dark, Steve's face appeared to have turned a little pink.  
  
I misunderstood completely why he was embarrassed. "He's only fifteen, Steve."  
  
" … yeah," he replied with a small smile.  
  
"That's all right," I continued, blissfully unaware that Steve was looking at me in any way other than with polite interest. "Most people forget how young he really is."  
  
"Yeah. Impressive," he said, smiling a little broader.  
  
I sized him up with one look. "And most people call me Sally," I teased him.  
  
"I - well - I'm not supposed to. Saa, Ms. Po, you ARE my prisoner!"  
  
"Oh, and that makes a difference?"  
  
"Well, of course!" he answered, flustered. "It's professional ethics."  
  
I turned, feeling incredulous. Where was this man when I was looking for someone years ago? His naiveté was endearing. "Really? Professional ethics?   
  
That's interesting. Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because there has to be a certain amount of distance between us, Ms. Po. You know that."  
  
"I certainly don't want you to compromise yourself, but it feels strange for me to call you by your given name and you unable to reciprocate."  
  
Steve's smile - a slow, thoughtful expression - crept across his face, visible in the changing light from the intersection. "Very well - Sally," he murmured,   
  
the syllables of my name sliding off his tongue, the effort evident. Even now I could see how he fought with himself not to call me Ms. Po.  
  
"Thank you, Steve." It truly was the little victories I savored, the small victories over OZ and therefore over Treize. At least now Steve was forced to see me as a person, whether his training allowed for it or not. That alone was enough to humanize me to him and to all his acquaintances, whether he knew it or not.  
  
Hah. Point for me.   
  
The light changed, turning green for us. Steve looked back at the road and smoothly accelerated the car through the intersection. Neither one of us saw the huge carrier truck that careened down the hill, intent on making the light.  
  
It did make the light, but it didn't see us at all.  
  
The truck ran the red light traveling at least 70 kilometers per hour and smashed into the left rear of our car, spinning us across several lanes of traffic and into a utility pole.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It felt as if I was back in the shuttle, flying through the gauntlet of OZ's forces again. That horrid, sickening, metal-on-metal crunching sound echoed in my ears as we were flung into a dizzying tailspin, finally coming to rest 50 meters away from the intersection, wrapped around a utility pole.  
  
Enormous shards of wood, the size of small stakes, splintered in every direction as we smashed violently into the pole. It collapsed in slow motion; when the top of the pole hit the ground, a shower of sparks and a tangle of live wires lay across the road, small fires blazing intermittently in its wake.  
  
I was dazed and shaken as I sat for a moment and took account of myself. The airbags deployed with a horrendous noise, the passenger, the driver's side and the side impact airbags, but they worked - and they probably saved our lives. I had no life threatening injury, wasn't bleeding, didn't feel dizzy, could move all my fingers and toes - so as far as I was concerned, I was fine. Pain lanced across my neck and down my back, but I ignored it. Steve needed help.  
  
Shallow, labored breathing told me he was alive, and his flickering eyelids showed me he was partially conscious. He was neatly pinned to his seat by the steering wheel, though. It didn't look good. Not at all.   
  
"Steve - Steve, don't panic." I kept my voice pitched low and calming, moving one hand lightly over his forehead with a tissue I found clutched in my hand, dabbing some of the blood off the side of his face. "We were hit by a truck, I think. The steering wheel of the car is pressing into your sternum - your breastbone. If you're finding it uncomfortable to breathe, that's why. Take small breaths, and don't try to talk."  
  
I smiled at him. He didn't appear to be panicking at all; he was having trouble breathing. Otherwise, he looked all right, considering the circumstances. His vital signs were good, strong.   
  
  
  
"I'm going to reach across your body and see if you were injured anywhere else. I'm sorry if anything that I do hurts, but I need to know. I'm sure the rescue workers are on their way, and I want to know what to tell them when they get here."  
  
Steve's eyes started blinking rapidly and his breathing became irregular. My face was right against his as I carefully felt my way to his right side.  
  
"Shh … it's all right, Steve, I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere. Don't say anything. Take small breaths, remember. You could have broken ribs, and we don't want them puncturing a lung." I couldn't feel anything amiss on the other side of his body, other than I was sure my guess was right. He did have a couple of cracked ribs.  
  
  
  
"…ge…geh….OUT…." Steve blinked furiously at me, staring, his breath hissing through his teeth at the effort he expended to say those words. He sounded angry.  
  
I stopped what I was doing and stared right into his eyes, inches away.   
  
" …ch … chance …"  
  
My eyes widened. "I'm not leaving you here," I said softly.  
  
Steve looked confused and frightened. Not for himself, I realized in a rush of clarity, but - for me. It had been an incredibly long time, if at all, that someone had expressed that feeling for me. I was astounded.  
  
"And who's the doctor here? Take small, shallow breaths - that's it - " I kept speaking to him, quietly, encouraging, smiling - and all the time, in the back of my mind, a little voice kept nagging at me that it would have been so EASY to slip away this time. Open the door, tiptoe through the wires, and just become part of the crowd around the car. Steve would have been fine; the wail of the sirens meant the ambulance was on its way, and I could have disappeared, called Duo and had him pick me up.   
  
  
  
I sighed. Yes, well … next time. Next time, when there isn't a person involved that needed my help. Next time, when the only person I need to consider is myself.  
  
The door creaked open. "Signorina? Siete tutto il di destra? Siete feriti?"  
  
I had no idea what the rescue person was saying, but I shook my head and pointed to Steve. "I'm not really hurt, but he is. Help me get him out."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As it turned out, they didn't help me get him out at all. In fact, they very gently took me out of the wreckage and pushed me out of the way while they cut Steve out of the car, not allowing me to help at all.  
  
  
  
It was a miracle we didn't die in the crash. I stepped gingerly around the wires on the ground, marveling how I was in one piece. Just looking at the car made me realize that the hand of Providence must have been involved - scant centimeters closer to the front would have ended any worries for both of us on this earth.  
  
Louder murmuring and talking over at the ambulance caught my attention, and I looked up. The workers were gently lifting Steve out of the car, placing him on a gurney and starting oxygen and IV drips as they wheeled him to the ambulance.   
  
Something gnawed at me. I couldn't stand around watching them take him somewhere - I had to be with him. Quickly limping over to the back of the ambulance, I pulled myself in and sat next to the gurney, not looking at anyone else on board. They could throw me off, for all I cared. I needed to be with him, to make sure he received proper care.  
  
  
  
Besides, I had to be with him to make sure I could get back to the island. Wufei was there.   
  
I glanced at the medics on board. I didn't have any identification or money. Steve did, though - it was in his wallet. The medics wouldn't care if I went through his clothes, I reasoned as I stood and patted his sides, looking for his wallet. Obviously, since I was traveling with him I had a perfect right to flip through his papers. No one questioned me.  
  
A small piece of paper fluttered in my fingers with a number on it I recognized. It was the number Treize had given me one time, in case I needed to call him.  
  
I closed my eyes for a fleeting moment and bent my head. This was a turning   
  
point; if I did this, I was never going to be free. I knew it.  
  
  
  
To my mind, though, there really was no choice. Mentally waving goodbye to any freedom at all, I half turned away from the people in the ambulance, took out my phone and punched in the number.   
  
~~See ya in some other life, Duo. Probably not in this one.~~  
  
The phone rang several times before an officious young soldier answered it. "OZ headquarters, Lieutenant Brandish speaking. How may I direct your call?"  
  
"Lieutenant Brandish, may I please speak to Treize Khushrenada? This is -"  
  
"I'm sorry, ma'am," he said curtly, cutting me off in mid-sentence, "but no one speaks directly to the General. There are official channels you must go through in order to get an appointment with him. He's a very busy man, you know, and we cannot simply honor EVERY request that comes through our office to speak with-"  
  
"LISTEN to me." My voice was ice cold, an artic blast across the babbling of an infant. "I am Sally Po - do you understand? - Sally. Po. I'm in Rome. I was sent here by Treize. I suggest you get him on the phone. NOW."  
  
It felt as if my eyes were on fire, that's how angry I was. What kind of moron did they have in charge of main communications? And NOW I was put on hold. Did that man have any inkling how hard this was for me?  
  
  
  
I had been on hold for what seemed like hours - what were they doing, looking for me in the house because they didn't believe I was off the island? - when Treize's voice crackled over the line. There was a lot of static and interference, and the connection wasn't nearly as clear as it had been previously.  
  
"Sally? What's wrong?" It sounded like helicopter blades beating in the background.  
  
"Treize - we were in an accident, in Rome, on our way to the docks. The car was totaled - we were hit by a truck. I'm in the ambulance with Steve, and - well - " I was embarrassed, but I forced myself to continue, "I have no idea where we are or where we're going. I'm not really hurt, but Steve has at least a couple of cracked ribs, and -"  
  
"Which hospital?"  
  
I looked helplessly at the attendants. "I don't know. Here, I'll give you to one of the attendants, and they can -"  
  
"No, Sally, don't bother, just ask. I'd rather they did NOT know I was coming."  
  
Illogically, I protested, "But - but Treize, I don't speak Italian, and - "  
  
"Sally," he replied gently, "they'll speak Japanese or English. Try it."  
  
Feeling rather foolish, I did as he asked. "What hospital are we going to?" I asked in Japanese.  
  
"Salvator Mundi," the medic replied, not even turning around.  
  
"We're going to Salvator Mundi," I reported, feeling a little better. At least I was able to do that.   
  
"I'll be there," he promised, and hung up.  
  
I looked at the phone in my hand for several moments before I flipped the lid closed. Well, that's that. No more freedom for Sally. Before, it had been someone else's decision. Now - it was mine.  
  
Sighing, I looked over at Steve as I stowed the phone. He was breathing a little better.   
  
"Signora? Signora, do you know your husband's blood type?"  
  
I turned to find the medic looking at me, inquiring, a clipboard and pen in his hands. "Not - offhand," I said, but then remembered his wallet. "It's on his ID, though. I'll get it."  
  
We talked through all of Steve's vitals on the ride to Salvator Mundi. The medic assumed we were married; I didn't correct him when he asked. It was better all around this way - it was Italy, after all, but you had faster access to the wounded when you WERE family.   
  
Finally, the ambulance pulled up to a small hospital with a tiny emergency ward. It almost looked like a neighborhood center, it was so small, but the manner in which Steve was handled was anything but provincial. Those people moved with cool professionalism. I had visited the enormous one thousand bed Policilincio Humberto Primo in Rome several years before, and was thankful when I heard that Steve was NOT going there. The ratio of staff to patients was something ridiculous - and that, obviously, was not going to be an issue here.  
  
As they hustled him through the double doors into triage, I gave his identification to the front desk person - and once she realized which part of the military he was with and where he was stationed, she copied his paperwork, handed it back to me and waved him through.  
  
Looked like OZ's credit was good.   
  
  
  
Now there was nothing left for me to do except wait. No one asked about me, and I certainly wasn't going to volunteer. The medics who took me out of the car at the scene barely glanced at me; which, frankly, was just fine. I didn't need anyone else poking and prodding at me. I sat in the small waiting room and drank a little tea, watching what looked like Italian news vids.   
  
  
  
After a while, a nurse walked into the waiting room and walked over to me. She stood right in front of me, in fact, looking as if she had seen a ghost.  
  
"The general wants to see you." She was breathless and pale, her eyes huge.  
  
I frowned, rising from my chair. "The general? What general?" What the hell was this woman talking about? Was there a general back there with Steve, too,   
  
someone else injured in a freak accident who wanted to speak to me?  
  
"Please - come this way."  
  
There was no opportunity for me to ask her, though, because she had already turned on her heel and was striding quickly across the waiting room, banging open the doors to the inner hallway. I scowled, following her, limping a little. Someone's in a huge rush, I thought sourly. It's not as if anyone's going anywhere.   
  
We walked out of the emergency room, passed intensive care and went to a smaller, secluded area. She led me to a room that already had Steve's name on the door.  
  
Wow. Impressive. OZ certainly did carry some weight around here.  
  
The nurse opened the door to Steve's room for me, giving me a spooked, respectful look. I glanced at her, then stepped into the room. Treize was there, standing by the bed, speaking softly to Steve. I could hear him, but I couldn't catch the words.  
  
Understanding dawned. Oh. THAT general. The nurse looked in one more time and gently drew the door closed.  
  
Steve was looking up at Treize in awe. I understood - it wasn't everyday that the commander of OZ stopped by your bedside when you were in an accident.   
  
Treize took that moment to turn toward the door. "Sally! Thank God you're safe!"  
  
He strode over to me, and for one weird moment I thought he was going to hug me. I drew back, a little overwhelmed. "I - I'm fine, Treize. Nothing like Steve - he took the brunt of it."  
  
No hugging, though - he stepped close, took my arm and turned toward the back of the room, pulling me with him. "You didn't leave, Sally. He told me you didn't leave."  
  
I looked up, frowning a little. "Well … of course I didn't leave, Treize. He was hurt. I wouldn't do that." What kind of a person did he think I was? Something else occurred to me at that moment as I looked into his eyes.   
  
"Besides - you told me not to leave my escort, remember? And I told you I wouldn't."  
  
"Yes, you did." Treize gave me a small smile and said gently, "You've had quite an effect on him. Would you like to go home? Or stay here?"  
  
"I - " Suddenly I felt tired and weary. Part of me wanted to stay, to make sure Steve was all right, but a larger part wanted to leave, to see Wufei, to go to bed and sleep for a hundred years.   
  
"I leave it up to you, Sally, since there is uncontroversial proof of your honesty. I must return home myself, but you do not need to leave now."  
  
"How will I get home, then? And … are they keeping Steve here for a while?"  
  
Treize pursed his lips. "For a while, yes, I fear. He has some internal damage caused by the steering wheel. And as for your travel arrangements - you could come back in the helicopter with me, or I could send someone for you later."  
  
I looked over at Steve and decided. "I'll come with you. I … I'd like to go home. Let me say goodbye to him first."  
  
Yow. I said 'home,' and I meant it. Another decision made. I wasn't going to think about that, either.  
  
"Of course." Treize nodded. "I'll be back in a moment."  
  
I walked over to Steve, hardly noticing that Treize was deliberately leaving us alone.  
  
"Hey," I said softly. "I'm going back now. I had a very nice time today." I grinned. "But really, there's no need to do this sort of thing to get my attention. I'm sure you'll be back to work in no time."   
  
He was looking generally disconcerted. "Um … yeah," he said, trying to give me a smile in return. "I … yeah. I … he said I was being transferred."  
  
I felt stunned. "You - are? Where are you going?" I could only hope and pray that what Trowa had said wasn't going to come true.  
  
"The mainland." He looked at me, a very naked look. I knew he wanted to see me again. I smiled at him.  
  
"I … well. You know where I'll be, Steve. I don't imagine I'll be going anywhere anytime soon." Nope. Forever is a long, long time.  
  
He smiled back. "No … I don't imagine you will. All right, then." He paused for a moment, looking at me intently. "I hope, Sally," he began, "I hope someday you're pard-"  
  
Soft, insistent knocking on the door interrupted him. Steve jumped and immediately turned his head toward the door.  
  
I took that opportunity to reach over and squeeze his hand. "Take care of yourself, Steve."  
  
Treize leaned in, looking at me. "Ready to go?"  
  
I looked back at Steve. No, there was no hiding it; he really was falling for me. It was better that we stopped it now. "Bye," I whispered, giving his hand a final squeeze before I turned and walked over to Treize. He stood aside to let me pass, and after I left, said a few quiet words to Steve himself.   
  
  
  
"A good man," Treize said to me as he closed the door to Steve's room, looking slightly regretful.   
  
  
  
"Yes," I agreed. "He is."  
  
"This way, Sally."  
  
The elevator lobby was at the opposite end of the hallway. We were silent walking to the elevator, although I had the feeling Treize was studying me the entire time. I didn't look at him, and frankly, I had nothing to say. Between the actual accident and the decisions I made in calling him to come get me and going home with him, I didn't want to say or do anything else. I didn't even want to push the button to call the elevator to our floor.   
  
"Goodness, I'm glad I was on my way home." I watched him push the call button and step back out of the corner of my eye.  
  
"Oh?" I glanced up, then looked back at the elevator door. Politely.  
  
Treize nodded. "It's how I was able to get here so quickly. My helicopter was only a mile out over the ocean."  
  
I tried to keep my face expressionless as I processed that bit of information. "Oh - I - I didn't consider that." Gods - that meant that I didn't even consider he wouldn't come and get me, either. I filed that little nugget away for future examination, along with the other unpleasant pieces from that day that kept surfacing.  
  
The elevator arrived, the doors opening with a hushed whoosh of air. We walked inside, turned around and faced the doors as Treize pressed the button for the roof.   
  
"Have you been checked out, Sally?"  
  
I looked up at him in surprise. "Ah … well … no. I didn't really think there was a need. I only hit my knee and ankle - I wasn't pinned in the car like Steve, and everything's working properly."  
  
"You probably have whiplash." He reached over and gently started feeling along my neck, checking for soreness. It wasn't fair, though; no matter how I felt about him, no matter what I said, the moment he put his hands on my neck the only thing I could think about was how pleasant that felt, and how masculine he was.   
  
And gods, this elevator had to be the slowest one in existence.  
  
Finally, the doors opened and we were on the roof. My legs felt like jelly and I was a little woozy; anymore, I didn't question why. I knew why. It had something to do with Treize, and that was enough reason for me.  
  
"I'll check more when we're on board," he said with a smile, looking down at me. "I'm a pilot, you know, so whiplash is something I can help, at least a little, with."  
  
I didn't get the connection, but I wasn't going to ask at this point. "That's … that's just fine. Thank you, Treize."  
  
He led me out of the elevator and toward the helicopter. It was the giant one; that huge, black copter that made me think of large, swooping birds of prey. Treize vaulted up into the belly of the machine, then gripped the bar above the door, offered me his hand and pulled me inside as easily as a child tugs a doll   
  
along to play, pulling me into the machine with one arm. Effortlessly.  
  
  
  
As I found my footing in the aircraft, Treize guided me to a bank of seats, moved over and sat down in the large one on the end. "Here, please," he said, motioning me over next to him, "sit down. Let me look at you."  
  
  
  
Obediently, I sat down and belted in, then turned so he could massage along my shoulders again, pushing my hair to one side. I happened to look up and saw one of the soldiers roll the doors of the aircraft closed. Immediately, we heard the rotors roar to life, then felt a small jerk as we lifted off. We were airborne, going back to the island.  
  
  
  
Treize leaned close, inspecting my shoulders, his fingers working carefully and gently along nerve points and muscles. As I sat there, relaxed into the side of the seat, it occurred to me that he knew the structure of the human body extremely well. Heh - what was it that Nan said? Something about trying to remove my spine without a scalpel?   
  
Yes, but this is different, my snarky brain replied. He certainly isn't doing anything right now that might hurt you. In fact, if anything, it's quite the opposite.   
  
He was close enough that I could feel the heat from his body pour onto mine, and smell that clean, slightly spicy smell I associated with him.   
  
"Forgive me if this hurts, Sally," he murmured, his breath tickly in my ear, "but you are still somewhat bruised back here."  
  
"Oh … that's … all right," I muttered automatically, my body moving closer to his. Gads, I could feel it move closer, and I tried to stop it. That was silly, because I felt him shift his position, moving closer to me. He brushed my hair out of the way again, sending shivers along my nerves. Coherent thought on my part was almost non-existent; sensation was my main focus. It did hurt, in fact, where Treize was prodding. He kept kneading gently, and I could tell that he was focusing on one particular area.  
  
"Please open your mouth, Sally." He was close enough that his shoulder brushed me a little as he moved.   
  
  
  
I obeyed, wondering what he was doing, feeling him move. At the same time I felt his fingers move along the sides of my jaw and neck, searching for something.  
  
"Close your mouth, please, Sally."  
  
I did, and started to shift a little to look at him, puzzled. A sudden, sharp pain - not overpowering, but rather intense - lanced along my jaw. I gasped in surprise. "Ehhhh…"  
  
We were so close, I felt Treize's chest rumble. "You have some whiplash," he said softly. "I'm going to try to relax your muscles somewhat before we reach the base. Is that all right?" He turned me around gently and gazed down, asking for permission. Just centimeters apart, I looked up and could only marvel that his eyes were the clearest blue that I had ever seen, even though I knew the color was really bronze.  
  
  
  
"Oh, yes … that's all right," I murmured, "that's - just - fine." Being this close to him threw my entire hormonal system out of whack, and there was nothing I could do to even try to stop it. I was helpless, sunk into the leather seat with my eyes half lidded as he probed and massaged my neck, his thumbs and forefingers easily encircling my throat. I hardly cared. All that mattered to me was the sensation he was creating at the base of my skull and along my shoulders, and that was feeling better by the moment. Now even his odd eyebrows didn't look so bad.  
  
Sally Po, you're a lost cause.  
  
His voice pitched low, Treize regarded me and murmured, "I think you'd better turn around, Sally. I don't want to miss anything."  
  
I did as he asked very carefully and tried not to think how suggestive that sounded.  
  
He immediately started working on my back, neck and shoulders. I closed my eyes, thinking about nothing except how wonderful that felt and how strong his hands were. He knew exactly where the most painful spots were in my back and what he needed to do to loosen them.  
  
Sighing, I settled first against the seat, and then against Treize. A great weight slipped away from me as I relinquished my grip on consciousness and fell into a light twilight sleep. I finally understood I had actually drifted to sleep when, paradoxically, I became aware of what was happening around me.  
  
  
  
I blinked, shifted my position, and realized I was leaning against Treize's chest. His arms were around me, supporting me, but we weren't in the helicopter. I didn't hear the rotor noise. Where were we? It felt familiar … there was a fireplace … books … a chair. In fact, we were sitting IN the chair; I was pressed against Treize, my body molded to his, and he wasn't moving. It was just terribly comfortable; so warm, and so safe, such a good place to be. I sighed, contented.  
  
"Mmmm… it looks as though you found your way here again, Sally Po. What a surprise." Treize's voice was a low rumble in his chest, softly resonant, no threat or hint of danger. "It looks as though someone woke you up."  
  
I nodded, still sleepy, thinking that I didn't remember the chair being large enough for two. "Mmmm," was all I could manage as I watched the fire. ~~Oh, well … can't remember everything.~~  
  
~~You're not expected to, Sally.~~  
  
One hand gently lifting my chin, Treize tilted my face up and kissed me as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I relaxed into him, boneless, my eyes closed. He kissed me for a few moments, unhurried, barely probing with his tongue once or twice, gently teasing.  
  
  
  
"Saa … I DO like you, Sally," he murmured at my lips, pulling back and caressing my cheek. "You make me wonder what the other would have been like, had she grown up."  
  
I blinked a little and gazed at him, bemused. "The other? The other … what?"  
  
"The other like you," he answered softly. "But you're much lovelier than she was." He caressed my cheek again, looking deep into my eyes. It was flattery - it felt like flattery, and part of me knew it was flattery - but still, it had been so long since I had heard that from anyone at all.  
  
My eyelids fluttered closed. "Who was she?" I whispered, moving my head toward his hand, seeking his touch again.  
  
"No one important," he replied, his voice just as soft. "Now, Sally … what shall we do with you?"  
  
"Do? Hmmm?" I opened my eyes and smiled at him, comfortable.  
  
He stroked the side of my face, tilting his head to the side with a thoughtful expression. "I don't think I want to hurt you. You're so NICE, Sally. So … I won't." He continued stroking me, caressing my arm from my shoulder to my wrist, one continuous, smooth motion. Petting.   
  
Like a favorite cat, my mind whispered to me. I ignored it. It didn't make sense, anyway.  
  
That felt SO good, but his words … his words were so discordant. "Why - hurt me? Why would you want to hurt me?"  
  
"I won't, Sally," he said gently. "I only would if you were a threat to me, and you certainly aren't. You're too kind. Besides, Wufei needs you, and Wufei likes you."  
  
"I like Wufei," I said immediately, smiling. I loved Wufei.  
  
"So do I, Sally." Treize's smile had a slight edge to it. "You see? We agree on that."  
  
Something in my mind was calling to me, trying to remind me of … something … that I couldn't remember. I felt good, but there was something else - something I needed to remember …  
  
"Saa … shh …"  
  
Treize leaned over and kissed me again, and I melted against him. It was another gentle, non-invasive kiss, very warm. My mind was floating, not thinking about anything in particular, just very, very comfortable. He was safe, and warm, and he liked me, and –  
  
Very slowly, Treize pressed his tongue into my mouth. At the same time, something that felt like an electric shock - something that was pervasive and that coursed through my entire being, something that went through my entire soul - hit me. It did not feel bad at all, no, not at all. 'Numb' didn't even come close to describing my mind's state when that - thing - hit. Time meant nothing to me; I only knew that eventually, when I opened my eyes again, I was still in Treize's arms. He was holding me, smiling, softly touching my cheek.  
  
"Such a pretty little saint you are, Sally Po. You have such a sweet soul," he purred. "Like a fine plum wine." His voice was pleasing, hypnotic, powerful. I watched him, unable to draw my gaze away.  
  
  
  
He closed his eyes and drew me close, kissing me deeply this time. Whatever that feeling was now flooded my system, completely taking me over, drawing me farther and farther into a world of sensation where I had little sense of self and no control whatsoever. It defied description except to say that it was far more widespread than an orgasm, just on the edge of pain without crossing over, somewhere inside of me.   
  
  
  
Eventually, my senses returned. I felt tired, drained, warm; how people described they felt after having sex. It was hard to stay awake, and I hadn't even opened my eyes. I heard Treize - somehow, he knew I was awake. He sounded amused.  
  
" … and I'm not even actually kissing you … "  
  
I wanted to respond, but I couldn't even rouse myself enough to open my eyes, let alone say anything in words. "Mmmmph…."  
  
He chuckled. "Saa … I won't drain you. Don't worry, Sally. Tasting won't hurt you - much." It sounded like the last word was a joke, or something. I wasn't sure. It didn't matter, anyway; I would just ask Trowa about this later. If I remembered.  
  
When I finally was able to open my eyes, it was to see Treize looking down at me with a warm, soft, fond look. I smiled up at him, feeling pretty vague. He brushed my hair back from my face and caressed my cheek, petting me again.   
  
Treize looked thoughtful. "Sally …"  
  
"…yes…?" It took me a while, but I finally was able to respond. Ooooh, but his petting did feel good.  
  
"Sally, do you love me?"  
  
I looked at him. "Ah … yes. I think so…" There was no analysis, no thought to that - it just popped out of my mouth, totally unexpected. I kept smiling at   
  
him and leaned into the hand that was petting me. Mmmmmm.  
  
Treize looked mildly surprised. "Do you really? How wonderful." His fingers continued to caress my lips and my cheek, but now they traced a path down my neck, stopping at my collarbone. "And what would you do for me, Sally?"  
  
I gave him a fuzzy smile, not understanding what he was asking at all. "Hmm?"  
  
"Would you do something I asked, Sally? For me?"  
  
"What do you want, Treize?" I asked, bemused, blinking up at him.  
  
He leaned over me and kissed me again, not quite pushing in with his tongue so I stayed cognizant. I melted immediately, closing my eyes, feeling everything respond to his touch.  
  
"I want you, Sally Po," Treize said, his voice soft and low, his lips still against mine as he pulled slightly away.  
  
"Hmm?" I blinked and looked at him, unsure I heard him correctly. "You … want - me?"  
  
He nuzzled my cheek, looking very pleased. "Give me … yourself," he murmured softly. "I promise you, Sally, I would never hurt you. I will take care of you. Give you what you need. Let me love you."  
  
Treize was feathering small, gentle kisses along my jaw and over my lips. My mind wasn't working well at all, but it did register one thing. Because Treize was asking me for something, that meant that whatever it was he was talking about, he couldn't just TAKE it from me - he needed me to GIVE it to him.  
  
Unfortunately, that was as far as my reasoning skills could take me at that moment. Treize's attentions, along with my body's reactions, combined to produce reactions in my mind that were sluggish and slow. I felt as if I was thinking though cotton.  
  
"I … I don't … I …"  
  
Lines of exquisite fire followed his fingers as Treize drew his fingertips across my collarbone and down my body, lightly brushing my left nipple before resting his hand on my thigh.  
  
"Don't what, Sally?" he asked, his voice low.  
  
I gasped and started, moving in his arms. Gods, it had been so long since anyone had touched me in that way.   
  
  
  
Almost immediately, he turned and kissed me again, deeply, with considerably more vigor. It was as if an explosion burst behind my eyes; every pleasure neuron in my body firing simultaneously, every part of my soul invaded in some way with that same electric pulsing current, reaching into places and memories I thought best forgotten.   
  
When I came to, I found my position had shifted slightly; I was no longer on Treize's lap, with my back on his chest. Now my back was on the chair/love seat, and Treize was laying next to me and on me, just not completely on me. I was lying against his shoulder. After a quick look around, I closed my eyes again, unwilling to show I was awake.  
  
He was brushing my hair back from my face again. That felt good. I couldn't help but arch into that caress, and I opened my eyes and looked at him.  
  
  
  
I nearly gasped aloud; I couldn't, though, because I was too tired, too bemused. His eyes weren't blue; they were that bronze color, the same as his wings. It wasn't unattractive, it was simply ….powerful. Gods.  
  
"Do you love me, Sally?" His voice was soft, but his manner commanding. I couldn't look away from his eyes, and I had to answer. It was impossible not to obey him. The leashed power he held was incredible.  
  
"I … I … love everyone. I love you … I love Wufei …"  
  
Treize smiled. "That's what I suspected, Sally." He leaned down and brushed my lips with his own. "And would you - love me more - if I asked you to?"  
  
I gasped, blinking. "Love you … more? How? You mean … as .. a lover? Or … how?"  
  
"Simply … more, Sally. I love YOU more." His voice dropped in pitch, and he said, very softly, "I wonder what would happen if you did."  
  
Puzzled, I wrinkled my nose at him, not understanding. "More? You love me more than … than … what …." I trailed off, watching, baffled.  
  
"Many others, Sally Po. You are special to me." And - he ALMOST sounded as if he was teasing, but not quite. I was left wondering if he was teasing. I didn't know.  
  
"Ah, but Treize … I don't know how to love more." Seeing his eyes had touched something inside me, something that inspired a small dollop of fear. I knew, somehow, that I wasn't supposed to be seeing his eyes, just as I knew I wasn't supposed to be seeing his wings as clearly as I could. Thank the gods above he didn't know how much I could see, though.  
  
"Answer a question for me, Sally," Treize murmured, disregarding my earlier statement, nuzzling my cheek again and running his fingers over my aura, letting them dance lightly around my skin. "How long have you been able to see?"  
  
A cold stab of fear thrust itself into my heart. "I … I have always been able to see …" I explained, feeling the more I told the truth, the less there would be to remember. And thank God, that was true.  
  
  
  
"Never mind, Sally," Treize said, kissing my forehead and then my lips. "It's time for you to wake up. We'll talk about this later."  
  
My eyes were closed and I was rocking back and forth; it wasn't until I fought my way into consciousness that I realized I was moving, but not under my own power. I was being carried. It wasn't Treize, I could feel that immediately. Whoever it was had a warm, pleasant smell, one like sandalwood, and a comfortable chest and shoulder. I heard the sounds of the helicopter in the background.  
  
"Wufei?" I murmured, not opening my eyes. I was sure it was Wufei. "Wufei, it's you, isn't it?"  
  
"Hai." His stride was sure and even, and he didn't say anything else for a few moments. The harsher sounds of machinery were dying away.  
  
"Mmmmm…" Rousing myself was proving to be more difficult than ever - I couldn't force my eyelids open.   
  
"So you're actually awake now?" And the way Wufei said that sounded as if I was trying to fool him before.  
  
Nodding, keeping my eyes closed, I muttered, "I'm … I'm trying …"  
  
Wufei snorted. "Finally." Boy, did HE sound put out.  
  
"…Wufei … it's hard … so hard to wake up …"  
  
He snorted again. "Obviously. You don't normally talk in your sleep."  
  
My eyes slits, I squinted at him. "…talking? What did I say?"  
  
Even in the poor light, I could see Wufei was horribly embarrassed. He was blushing, not looking at me, and had the look of someone who wanted to crawl into a hole and die.  
  
That spurred me enough to push through the fog surrounding my brain. I blinked several times, looking at him. "Wufei? Wufei, you have to tell me. What happened? What did I say?"  
  
"You .. didn't SAY …" Eyes straight ahead, chin square, his whole demeanor stoic, he said, "You were … moaning …"  
  
Oh gods. I just stared at him as everything inside me cringed. "I .. I … eh. Oh. I … I'm sorry, Wufei." Nothing worse than having the person you're responsible for watch you have a sexual dream as he's carrying you into the house.   
  
A dream. It WAS a dream. It felt like a dream.   
  
  
  
Changing the subject, quickly. "Where are you taking me?"  
  
"To your room - unless you don't want to go there."  
  
"No, no," I said quickly, "that's fine." Part of my mind was still on the 'sexual dream' thing; that was a dream, wasn't it? But … if Wufei is carrying me, then where's –  
  
"Where's Treize, Wufei?"  
  
"In his office. The puppies arrived while you were gone."  
  
"Oh," I replied weakly. Great.  
  
"Are you all right?" He pounced, concerned, with every little nuance of speech. I needed to remember that. He also looked a little less flushed. That, however, was good.  
  
"I think so." I gave him a wan smile. "Since you'll be working with them closely, you'll have to tell me how the dog's eyes change color sometime."  
  
"What?" he asked, giving me a puzzled look as he carried me into my bedroom.  
  
"Well, you know," I started, "they change color. I mean, during the day, they look like regular dog's eyes, dark brown, but at night, they … turn … yellow …"   
  
I trailed off, looking at his expression. He had just put me on my bed, and was busily taking off my shoes and socks, giving me a very perplexed look.  
  
Sometimes, it only takes one slip to realize the enormity of your situation.  
  
  
  
"You … you never saw that, did you …" I whispered, feeling cold and alone.  
  
"You ARE still asleep, aren't you?" Wufei asked.  
  
"I - didn't think so - but I guess I simply imagined it." I smiled and shrugged at him, figuring there was no one to talk to about this at all.  
  
~~Nonsense. You are much too dramatic, Sally Po. You did not imagine the change with the dogs.~~  
  
  
  
It was disconcerting to have a conversation with someone in your head while having a conversation with someone standing directly in front of you. Wufei peered at me, frowning.   
  
"Do you need some sleeping medicine, or something?"  
  
"Wha - what?" I looked at him, startled. He was standing right in front of me, but frankly, when Trowa popped into my head, I didn't see Wufei standing there at all.  
  
"You're only half coherent." he accused, putting his hand on my forehead. "You don't feel overwarm, but-"  
  
"I only feel half coherent," I admitted, drooping. "It could just be shock from the accident. Maybe - maybe I should just crawl under the covers and go to sleep again."  
  
"That would be acceptable. But I assume no doctor." His black, disapproving glare lanced out at me. Wufei really was in a mood tonight.  
  
"Well … no. I was at the hospital this evening, right after the accident. I'll be fine, really, I will."  
  
He stood in front of me and crossed his arms, his jaw set, not moving. I finally realized he wasn't going anywhere until he saw me get into bed.   
  
"Um … Wufei … I think I'll change and shower, and then go to bed."  
  
"Fine. I'll wait here. Do you want me to help you to the bathroom?"  
  
I stared at him. "No, I can do that myself." I grabbed some clothes from the drawers and padded into the bathroom, hoping he wasn't going to offer to come in and help me.  
  
Trowa caught me as I pulled my shirt over my head. I jumped rather badly.  
  
Sally - if you wish to discuss what happened to you tonight, we can do that after Wufei leaves.  
  
~~Fine, Trowa. Fine. Just let me get dressed, please.~~  
  
  
  
I thanked all the gods I knew that he didn't speak to me while I was washing my hair. I probably would have fallen in the shower, and then Wufei would have barged in, and wouldn't THAT have been a mess.  
  
Finally, I was in bed with the lights out. Wufei was satisfied I wasn't going anywhere and that I was resting, and he left. Now, it was just Trowa and me, and … well. You certainly couldn't see Trowa in the room.  
  
My life couldn't possibly get any weirder than it already was.  
  
~~Okay, Trowa. First. Those dogs. They ARE hounds from hell, aren't they?~~  
  
~~Not specifically, no. They are half breeds. Treize created this strain himself. He does love them, as one loves something one creates with much time and effort. And, of course, he loves anything alive.~~  
  
~~Um … Trowa. He said he loved ME.~~   
  
~~Of course he did. He loves humans. He REALLY loves humans who are unusual, especially when they can resist him or are unique. He has loved saints in the past. If not for Wufei's presence, you would be his focus. He would already have had you.~~  
  
  
  
That was delivered in a dry, day-to-day factual tone, just as "keep your magnolias in the sun for best blossom production" would have been.   
  
Okay. Moving on. ~~He did something tonight, Trowa. I'm not sure what it was - ~~  
  
~~He tasted you.~~  
  
Wow. Like a candy bar? ~~Tasted me? You'll have to explain. We were … somewhere familiar. I know I had been there before, but I can't place when.~~   
  
Yes. You have been there before, but he did not touch your soul before.  
  
It wasn't completely dark in my room; I could see vague outlines and shapes of furniture, especially against the windows open to the sea. I kept my eyes open for some time. Trowa. How - how do you touch someone's soul?  
  
  
  
The equivalent of a shrug shimmered through my mind. ~~I could show you, but I will not. It is done - for those not human - in the same way you touch another person. You simply … do it. However, Treize was tasting, which is more involved than touching. You do not have words to describe exactly what he was doing, but I will try. He was - tasting. Some draining of your essence. Bathing himself in your mind.~~ That mental shrug again. ~~Your concepts are too limited.~~  
  
Shocked would be too mild a word for what I felt. ~~He was … what? Why?~~  
  
~~Because he wanted to, and because he could. He enjoys humans.~~  
  
I couldn't even process that at the moment. ~~Trowa … he kept asking me something, then saying he wouldn't hurt me. Could he have hurt me? Badly?~~  
  
~~Yes, he could have hurt you - he could have hurt you at any time. He could have stripped away pieces of you until your essence was left raw and damaged. But as I said before, he is fascinated with humans. He does not hate them. He will not harm you unnecessarily. In fact, he was extremely careful with you.~~  
  
Other things came back to me. ~~Trowa. He was asking me for something, something that needed my permission. If I had given it to him - what would he have done?~~  
  
~~He would have enveloped you himself, and you would have shared essence. When he released you, you would not have been the same. Your essence would be tainted with his, although the reverse is not true.~~  
  
I nearly sat up in bed, I was so shocked. ~~Is that what he's going to do to Wufei?~~  
  
~~Not exactly. Wufei's soul is not quite human, so the method must and will be different, as will the result. It will take a much longer time because he must win his mind. Tainting him is not possible. However, if he did not have Wufei to look forward to, he probably would have pushed until he had you this evening, or the first time you entered his mind. You simply do not have the same kind of appeal as a child of the Dragon.~~  
  
~~And … if I said no …?~~  
  
Trowa's tone was dry. ~~A challenge.~~  
  
Gods. I knew what THAT meant. ~~Oh. I see. He - he asked me how long I had been able to see … he meant auras, didn't he …~~  
  
I felt Trowa's entire demeanor stiffen. That was saying something when you couldn't even SEE the person. ~~Yes. He knew you had been awakened. Did you tell him?~~  
  
~~I told him - I told him I had always been able to see …~~  
  
~~Good answer.~~ Trowa relaxed. ~~ Your innocence has prevented disaster. He was merely curious. Not questing.~~  
  
  
  
~~I was frightened, Trowa. I knew - knew what he was asking. His eyes were different. ~~  
  
And it happened AGAIN - I felt Trowa's demeanor change, like a wave washing through me. Startlement, surprise, astonishment - all channeled through me in an instant.   
  
~~You could see his EYES?~~  
  
~~Yes, they weren't blue, they were that bronze color, and they were frightening. He was centimeters away from my face, and I couldn't move at all -~~  
  
~~You saw his EYES?~~  
  
~~- and that's when he asked me how long I had been able to see -~~  
  
~~You. Could see. His eyes.~~  
  
Now he was annoying. ~~Yes. I said that. Several times. What's wrong?~~  
  
You should not have been able to see his eyes. ~~I did not give you that power. This has accelerated past what I understand.~~  
  
I really didn't want to explore that idea. I was exhausted; mentally, physically, and emotionally. ~~Trowa … I'm tired. I need to sleep on all of this. It's … so much.~~  
  
~~You need sleep. What he did to you is a very exhausting thing. At least you are guaranteed to sleep very well. Do you recall Wufei's condition the night the dragon was almost awakened? You will feel similar tomorrow. Do not be startled.~~  
  
I was drifting off already, dozing. ~~Oh. Okay. Goodnight, Trowa.~~  
  
~~Sleep, Sally. You will need it.~~ 


	31. Chapter 30

Tapestry, Chapter 30  
  
Dreaming, dreaming, I was always dreaming. Tonight had been no different, but my dreams had been so muddled, so unfocused, that I couldn't remember any of them. Even now as I was waking, something nagged at me, told me that what I dreamed last night had been real -   
  
_- something happened last night_, my mind whispered.. _Something's ... different_.   
  
Where was I?  
  
Cautiously, carefully, I slit one eye open, just a millimeter, and was shocked to discover I was in my room. My room, in my bed. Alone. Pleasantly exhausted, true, but completely relaxed. I laced my fingers above my head, stretched my arms, then collapsed and burrowed my face in the pillow. There was no knot between my shoulders, no shooting pain down my back; no cramped muscles, no upset stomach, no pounding headache. I was mildly shocked to realize that for the first time in a long time, I felt well. Fine, both mentally and physically. Happy, if there was such a thing in my world.  
  
Yikes. Don't think too hard about that, Sally Po.  
  
Mmmmmhmmm.... breathe in ... breathe out ...  
  
Breathing was just something you did, automatically, whether you were happy or not. It was easier, though, when you were happy. You didn't think about it, your stomach didn't tie itself in knots or get that horrible, sinking feeling, and you just did it. You breathed. You knew where you were. You were safe, protected, cared for, and you breathed because you could.   
  
My brain, though, wasn't buying it. _What are you THINKING? Happier? Safer? Are you insane? You're making all of this up - you're only fooling yourself. Open your eyes and see where you are, idiot. Whose bed do you think you're sleeping in? Yours? Do you own it?  
_  
I rolled over, still smiling at the ceiling, my eyes still closed as I argued with myself. _Oh, come on. Just shut up. I feel great, I'm comfortable, and I'm not getting up.  
_  
_But you have to open your eyes and see the truth sometime, and it should be sooner than later. You can't hide behind your eyelids forever.  
_  
I sighed. Acknowledge when you're beaten, Po. Beaten by your own logic. Now get up.  
  
Carefully, carefully, I opened my eyes. To my everlasting delight, nothing jumped, growled, or raked blood-soaked claws across my body; in fact, a quick glance showed everything looked exactly as it had yesterday. My dresser was undisturbed, the French doors were open to the sea, my clothes were tucked across the back of the chair - everything was unscathed. Even the faint sound of the surf was comforting in its numbing sameness.  
  
So much for my brain's doomsday moaning. Hah.  
  
Something lightly floral and very pleasant tickled my nose, something that reminded me of home, and blossoms, and the outdoors. I wasn't sure where it was coming from, but liked it. Time for a shower, I decided, rolling on my side, stretching and squeezing my muscles again. Then I would get dressed, find Wufei, get something to eat, and start another day. Life was certainly good.   
  
Whistling, I tossed back the covers and slid out of bed. The floor was freezing; I quickly padded to the bathroom, grabbing my robe from the chair. Nothing, not even the cold floor tiles, could mar my feeling of goodwill today. I wouldn't let anything kill this feeling - I hadn't felt this good in weeks.   
  
Practically dancing, I stripped out of my clothes as fast as I could - it was cold in the bathroom, too! - and blasted the hot water for the shower. Once under the spray, though, I closed my eyes and twisted my neck to the side, enjoying the water pounding across my shoulders and down my body. Today, every sensation made my skin tingle. Water shimmied around my forearms and thighs, poured over my fingers, skimmed lightly across my arches, spun between my toes, then spiraling into the drain. Steam drifted from the base of the tub, fragrant with the scent of violets. It rose past my waist, barely touching my breasts, and frosted the inside of the shower door. . Mmmmm, it was just so nice ...  
  
I leaned against the side of the shower, my eyelashes damp and heavy with mist, limp, relaxed, and totally suggestible. A familiar voice murmured in the back my mind. _I'm sorry, Sally, but I must. You have to remember.  
_  
Without warning, in no particular order, memories of last night flooded into my mind and spilled in front of my eyes. Suddenly there was Steve's unconscious, bloody face against the steering wheel; then an incongruous moment of us at the museum, and another of us at dinner, laughing and talking. Skip to the world spinning wildly on its axis, totally out of control, and me with that heavy, leaden feeling of fear and hopelessness, weighing down my arms and legs; fast forward to the sickening, abrupt crunch into the telephone pole, ending with ... silence. Complete and utter, silence, only broken by Steve's rasping, wet gasps for air - that, and the feeling of abject resignation wrapped around my heart when I realized I had to call Treize.   
  
I staggered and groped for something, anything to hold, to keep my balance, to not slip and fall and crack my head against the tiles. That vision was so strong .... so strong ... Only my elbow, hooked around the towel bar on the inside of the shower, kept me from slipping and smashing my head open.   
  
Abruptly the vision changed. Treize's face and presence replaced Steve's with such force that my knees buckled and I swung from the bar by my elbow, the other hand helplessly grabbing at the bar, water splattering across my cheeks. The visions came faster - and I didn't understand how, but these visions were much more intense.   
  
Now I was in an elevator with Treize and he was speaking to me, leaning down, and my heart thudding in my chest with some force; no, wait, not an elevator but a helicopter; but, no, that wasn't right either - I was really in front of a fire, sitting in a chair, kissing ... Treize?... no, impossible! ... no, wait, being kissed by .... good gods, not just being kissed, but being kissed into oblivion by Treize; and Treize's voice was inside my head, speaking to me, low, intimate, knowing, knowing all about me_ ... someone woke you up ... such a sweet soul ... give me yourself, Sally Po ... how long have you been able to see?   
_  
I was shrieking without a sound, my body shaking in the spray. _Gaaaaah! ......too much, too much ...  
_  
The visions stopped as abruptly as they had begun.  
  
My brain was going to explode, I was sure of it. I pulled myself to my feet and stood under the full force of the shower for a moment, then blindly reached to turn off the water. "T-Trowa?" I whispered, trying to be stoic, but it was hard, so hard. I was still panting and shaking; water dripped into my open and staring eyes. "T-Trowa. Did - did you - why - did you do that? Bring all my memories back - like - like that?"  
  
_I had to, Sally, or else you wouldn't have remembered what happened for a long time. Treize affects humans that way - especially where you met him._  
  
_... oh...._ I pushed the shower door open and fumbled for the towel hanging on the shower door, my hands still shaking with reaction. I stepped outside the tub, wrapped the thick towel around my body and took a deep breath, blinking.  
  
_Trowa ...  
  
Yes, Sally?_  
  
_About - last night._ I felt my way, trying to choose my words with care. I wasn't going to make any more mistakes. I realized I was dealing with something far beyond my understanding. Friendly feelings aside, Trowa showed me a less than empathetic side of himself, and I wasn't about to forget it. I was still reeling from the shock. I needed to be careful; it could happen again.  
  
_You said ... that Treize tasted me._   
  
_Yes, that is true. He touched your soul._ Trowa hesitated slightly, then continued. _In doing that, he did taste your essence.   
_  
_My ... essence._ I started to towel myself off, slowly at first, then a little more briskly, pushing my mind to accept something that had obviously happened. It was fact. I could not allow myself to shy away from it. Treize had done it - I felt it, I experienced it, it wasn't hypnosis, it was REAL. I had argued strenuously for years, as had my parents, that because scientific proof did not exist that one could not possibly conclude that souls existed. I had to allow that this - whatever it was - had happened to me.   
  
One part of my brain was laughing. _Listen closely, Sally. Do you hear that tinkling sound, like breaking glass? Those are your illusions being shattered. Get used to it.   
  
_I hated my brain. Hate, hate, hate.   
  
Now I had to ask. _Um .. Trowa. You also said that - had I permitted it ... he would have 'shared essence.' Why - would he do that?  
_  
He was silent for so long I thought he'd left. _Because he finds you fascinating. He finds all humanity fascinating, but he finds you beautiful because you are rare. Because of that, he wishes to touch you. It is perhaps akin to sexual desire - but as he is not human, he does not have that. He simply wishes to touch and own your soul.  
  
_I stopped drying myself and stayed very still, looking at the far wall. But - but he can't DO that, Trowa. He can't own me unless I permit it. No one can do that.  
  
_Of course he could, Sally Po. He could, but he would not enjoy it. Willing involvement is something he finds beautiful, so ... he will not.  
_  
Gads. This was awful. I didn't know what to think. My head was starting to hurt.  
  
_He - what?_ I didn't want to think about it. _He didn't hurt me. He isn't all evil, Trowa. It would be much easier if he was ..._ Shrugging into my robe, I tugged the belt tight at the waist, tossing my wet hair over my shoulder, rationalizing to myself. _I mean, really - he takes care of me, feeds me - all I need to do is look around this bathroom to see what he does for me, gives me ...  
_  
_Correct - but this makes him no less a danger. Or did you forget that he failed to have the same pain over the deaths of hundreds of thousands of humans he's caused?_   
  
I sighed. Feh, feh, feh. _No ... no, of course I didn't forget_. My hairbrush felt heavy and flat in my hand. Running the bristles through my hair, against my scalp, helped bring some reality back to me. _But it would be much easier, Trowa, if he was completely evil. Then there would be no question about what we had to do -  
_  
_Why? Tell me, Sally - would you only defend those who were completely good?   
_  
Ah. This was the crux of the matter. _No, Trowa. I wouldn't. So ... I suppose I shouldn't expect to only fight people that are completely evil, should I?  
_  
_Correct. Treize was created to serve man, Sally - to be part of the greatest creation of Jouten. Why would he be completely evil? Not even those who hate men are entirely evil.  
_  
I rubbed my head, it ached so much. _He ... wouldn't. Not at all.  
_  
_I suspect you may be attributing altruistic motives to Treize's behavior. Do not do this. He has many reasons for his actions, most of which are unknowable to you.   
_  
I felt like a fool. That was exactly what I had been doing. Yesterday, I thought Treize did something nice for me, but that 'something nice' turned out to have a hidden blade - Steve, the guy with the crush on me, the man whose code I hacked. Now poor Steve was banished to Italy for the rest of his professional life, and I was still here with Treize and Wufei. How terribly nice and devious.  
  
_He will do kind things to you and for you; he likes you. But that does not make him kind, Sally. Even evil men can be good to their pets._  
  
I frowned. That bothered me on several levels. _Pet? I am no pet, Trowa -  
  
Not in that way, no. He values you more than he does a pet, although less in some ways.  
  
...what?  
_  
_I will try to explain. If you were killed, he would grow angry, but he would not necessarily grieve._   
  
I thought for a moment. _Oh. Because ... he has more invested with the dogs, as he helped create them ... and they love him unconditionally.   
  
Correct. You, however, are much more complicated. There are things to both like and dislike about you._  
  
I nodded, rubbing my forehead again, feeling weary. _Trowa. I'm - not up to thinking about this any longer. I think I'm going to get dressed, go find Wufei, and then go for a walk.  
  
Feel free. Just be warned - your hyper-relaxed state will affect your reflexes_.  
  
I was already in my room, choosing my clothes from the wardrobe. _Ah ... what .. exactly do you mean? That I'm slower than normal?  
_  
Trowa sounded gravely amused. _Of course. You cannot help that. Merely recall Wufei's condition two weeks ago, after the dragon was almost awakened.  
  
_Gads, I hadn't even considered that. Wufei acted like he was sleepwalking that morning; which, actually, was the way I felt now. _Eh ... all right, Trowa. Perhaps I'll just read this morning after breakfast, then. That may be a better choice than walking.  
  
Do whatever you like. I am downstairs, in the hallway.  
_  
I yawned and nodded again, belatedly realizing he couldn't really SEE me nod.   
  
_All right, Trowa. I'll see you in a few moments. _

_

* * *

* * *

_   
  
I walked down the stairs, pausing at the bottom to peer into the hallway. Sure enough, there was Trowa by Treize's office door, looking officious and grim. The door was slightly open, but not wide enough for me to see inside.   
  
I started toward him. _Trowa - why are you there?  
  
I was called to escort Lady Une to Treize's office.  
_  
That stopped me. _Lady Une is in there?  
  
Yes.  
  
Where's Wufei? Is he there, too?  
  
Not yet.  
_  
I turned and looked back up the stairs, then decided and walked past Treize's office, to the library on the other side. There, at least, I could sit in relative peace and watch any comings and goings without being seen.   
  
Plus, it was the library I used the other night. The one with the dog in it that almost killed me.   
  
As I walked into the room, sudden barking from the hallway made me shrink back from the doorway and whirl around, my breath whistling through my teeth, every muscle tense. It wasn't until I realized that it sounded like puppies - NOT adult dogs - that I relaxed. Quickly, I grabbed the nearest book off the shelf, sank down into the chair and tried to relax, all the while peeking around the side, watching the corridor.  
  
In a few moments Wufei walked by with another man I didn't recognize. This man was carrying a large, cardboard box, and the puppy sounds were coming from there. Wufei and the man were deep in conversation, both occasionally glancing into the box.  
  
But that man, if that's what he was ... gads ... The moment I looked at him, I knew he was about as human as my book. Whatever he was, he was evil; that much I knew. His aura was dark and spiky, uneven lances that thrust into the air at odd angles.  
  
I shrank back into the chair as they passed._ Trowa - you never told me the dogs were inside the house -   
  
These are puppies, Sally. The dog breeder brought them at Treize's request.   
_  
Oh, that made perfect sense. Hellhounds bred by a hell monster.  
  
_What you see is a demon, Sally. Technically, Treize is also a demon, but he is a Truedemon - a fallen angel. One of the most powerful demons, in fact, in this world. Very few can match him._   
  
The barking continued. High-pitched puppy yapping, that happy, eager barking puppies make when they find a new playmate. Nice, that. The dogs play, not knowing they were abominations. Demons? Truedemons? Sure, why not. We had everything else in this world, we might as well have those things, too.  
  
Gods. I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath.   
  
_Oh. I - never believed in any of this Trowa. Never. Not in demons, not in angels ... certainly not in anything supernatural. Not at all. Not even a little bit. Now, though, I don't have any choice ... do I ..._  
  
Trowa sifted and evaluated what I said. _That makes this much harder for you, doesn't it?  
  
It does. I have no frame of reference. There are times when it's assumed I know something because of religious or cultural folklore, and ... I just don't.  
  
Ah. I understand._ He paused for a moment. _You might want to see this. Come.  
_  
Mystified, I rose from the chair and went to the doorway of the library, gazing down the hall toward Treize's office. Wufei was standing in the doorway; Trowa was still standing outside the office, staring at the opposite wall, not even looking at him. Wufei glared at Trowa and looked like he was going to say something cutting; then without warning, the expression on his face changed from sullen anger to complete delight. He gasped and literally dove into Treize's office, leaving me even more puzzled than before.   
  
Soft laughter filtered into the hallway. I sighed, realizing that I had no choice at this point; I had to see what was happening. Quietly padding down the corridor, I walked to the office door and peeked into the room.   
  
Four people were there; the dog breeder, Wufei, Treize and Une. Wufei was on the floor, covered with puppies; the breeder stood with his back to the wall, looking slightly protective of his puppies; Treize leaned on his desk with his arms crossed, watching Wufei with a grin; and Une stood next to the bookshelves, watching everything, looking as if all the blood had been drained from her body.  
  
I swallowed. If there was such a thing as thinking quietly, I was doing it. _Une just found out she was displaced by Wufei, didn't she?  
  
No, she -  
_  
Immediately the dog breeder stiffened, straightened and turned, his face scrunched into an unpleasant scowl. He stared past me into the hallway, and I could see that the irises of his eyes were just as yellow as the dog's. He wasn't looking at Trowa per se, but he certainly was looking in his direction.  
  
"Something wrong, Ruskin?" Treize sounded casual and friendly.  
  
I moved slightly, pretending to get a better puppy view, but actually tried to block the demon's view of Trowa.   
  
Gads. He could hear Trowa? That wasn't right. Trowa had been speaking directly to me, not broadcasting all over the place. Treize couldn't even hear Trowa when he spoke to me. This was too strange.   
  
"Nnnn, nothin'. They suit ya?" he grunted with a strange, thick brogue, nodding at the dogs.  
  
"Well, let me see ..." Treize bent down and held out his hand to the puppies. They immediately bounded over to him, cute little bundles of muscles and sinew, licking and gnawing at his hand, wagging their tails.  
  
As I watched Treize play with the puppies, Trowa spoke to me again, softer than previously. _Une was not asked to 'know' the dogs, and they were not introduced to her; however, Wufei was. She was not displaced, but dishonored.  
_  
The demon's head snapped up. His dark, greasy hair swung over his eyes as he pushed his way across the room and into the corridor, unceremoniously shoving me out of his way.  
  
"Ruskin!"   
  
He took no notice, swiveling his head this way and that, looking for something in the corridor, something he felt but couldn't see. Trowa's face was set, eyes flinty, staring straight ahead. The breeder stared at Trowa, then lowered he gaze and peered down the hallway, snorting in disgust.  
  
Treize strode over and caught my arm as I stumbled away from the door. "I'm so sorry, Sally. He knows better." I had the distinct impression that Treize didn't like him at all.  
  
"Are you finished?" Treize asked, his voice chill.  
  
"Yah," the demon drawled, his eyes narrowed. "I am now. An' the dogs?"  
  
"They'll do."  
  
"Try not t'lose these 'uns. Ya know how hard 'tis to breed th' mongrels?"  
  
"Considering I devised the technique, Ruskin, I believe I do," Treize responded, his voice dry. "Now. If there is nothing else ...?"  
  
The demon leaned in the doorway with an odd, calculating expression in his eyes. The way his gaze slipped over me and then Wufei made my skin crawl. I found myself drawing closer to Treize; strangely enough, I felt safer there. I knew instinctively that Treize would never allow that creature to lay a hand on either one of us.   
  
Yellow eyes shining with lust, Ruskin sneered, "Ya don't change, do ya, Treize? Always with the pretty ones."  
  
I stiffened, glaring, wishing I could kill him. I knew he wasn't just referring to me. Treize patted my arm without looking down; just that reassurance, though, kept me from leaping at Ruskin.   
  
Treize ignored the jibe. "The usual method of payment?"   
  
"Eh? Aye, sure."  
  
Wufei, surrounded by squirming puppies, was totally unaware of Ruskin's comments. Une, though, wasn't. Her eyes widened appreciably, obviously not believing what she had heard, and looked back and forth between Ruskin and Wufei.   
  
"Then good evening, Ruskin. DO let yourself out."  
  
The demon snorted. "I always do." He nodded perfunctorily at Treize, obviously not wishing to be rude. He made a point to leer at Wufei and me, his yellow eyes and decaying teeth glinting as his gaze raked over both of us. Grinning, he turned his back and left, sauntering down the hallway.  
  
I shuddered. I couldn't help it. That horrid abomination made me want to claw him in two and see what spewed out of the broken halves. Part of me, though, was afraid of the dark morass I imagined was there.   
  
"Gods. I could strangle that man sometimes. Are you all right?"  
  
I nodded. "I - I'm fine, thank you. He is absolutely awful, though -"  
  
"Oh, I know. Unfortunately, he's the only one with the patience and interest to do what I need. Most other ... men ... are simply too flighty to breed dogs the way they ought to be bred."  
  
I turned, looking back into the office, to see Wufei playing tug-of-war with part of his overshirt and two of the puppies, and thought about Ruskin's yellow eyes. "Ooh ... that's a shame," I replied, feeling the blood drain from my face. The puppies looked cute now, but they were going to grow up to be like the beasts that almost killed me.   
  
Yeah. Cute.  
  
"Don't let them bite you, Wufei," Treize said casually. "They need discipline."  
  
"I wasn't -" Wufei started.  
  
"They bite?" I interrupted, shocked.  
  
"Well, all puppies bite, Sally. I just don't particularly care to have them associate the taste of blood with Wufei." Treize gave me a warm smile, as if he just made a little joke. "And how are you? You slept so soundly on the ride home, I was afraid to wake you."  
  
I smiled back at him and blushed, a little unsure. "Ah ... well ... I actually feel wonderful, thank you. No aches or pains anywhere."  
  
"Excellent." His gaze shifted to Une. As I watched, Treize's smile became a little colder, a bit more formal. "Is there anything else, Lady Une?" There was the tiniest bit of disapproval in his manner; not much, but it was there.  
  
Une felt it; she acted as if he spit on her, keeping her gaze locked on the floor. "N - no, General. Nothing else."  
  
Here was an Une I'd never seen - one who seemed cowed and beaten, not sure of herself at all. Not that I felt sorry for her. She was the person who set the dogs loose in the house.   
  
Treize looked concerned. "Lady - if you DO wish for the day off -"  
  
"No, no, sir. I will be fine." Her voice was muffled, but didn't waver or catch. She would take whatever he gave her, without complaint.  
  
"Very well, Lady Une. Dismissed."  
  
"General." She bowed stiffly, then left the room. I watched her walk away, her gray aura swirling unevenly, mottled with dark, bruised blotches.  
  
Good. See ya, bitch.   
  
"What's wrong with her?" Wufei glanced up, shrugging.  
  
"I think she's unwell," I replied, looking down at Wufei and the puppies. A wave of tiredness washed over my body, and I sighed. Sitting down somewhere else sounded like a good idea. "Erm ... excuse me, Treize - Wufei - I believe I'm going to the library and read for a while. I'm feeling rather tired." I nodded to both of them, smiled a little, then headed down the corridor toward the sanctuary of the library.  
  
Treize nodded and gave me a faint smile, his eyes gleaming, and let me go without saying a word. Wufei only grunted, too preoccupied with the puppies to respond.   
  
I smiled in relief as I walked down the corridor and into the library. My chair was waiting for me, inviting me to sit. I collapsed into it, boneless, closed my eyes and thought of nothing, my arms drooping towards the floor. Energy drained out of my hands, feeling as if it was pooling under my fingertips and soaking into the carpet.   
  
About five minutes later, I heard tiny, tiny snuffling sounds from the doorway. I squinted and peered around the edge of the chair toward the door, but couldn't see anything making that sound in the room.   
  
"You're hearing things again, Sally Po," I murmured aloud, flopping back into the chair, closing my eyes. Be paranoid, but don't let anyone see you sweat. At least not now.   
  
But the little snuffling sound grew louder, accompanied by a short, scrabbling sound, an animal's nails on smooth tiles. I peeked around the side of the chair again, and there in the doorway stood one of the cutest little puppies imaginable. He was dark, like the large hounds, all big eyes and large ears, staring right back at me. He barked a couple of times, several little high-pitched yips, then stopped. It was as if he expected me to reply; he was waiting for me to say something, to keep up my end of the conversation.  
  
I stared. Dogs never talked to me. In fact, dogs didn't like me. We had a mutual thing - I left them alone, they left me alone. Period.   
  
"What? What do you want?" I asked, suspicious.   
  
The puppy yipped again, pranced a little in place, then stopped and cocked his head, looking totally adorable.   
  
Curious, shifting my shoulders, I pushed up in the chair and turned all the way toward the door. At the same time, the puppy was scooped off the floor, panting and squirming, by Treize. He cradled him in one hand, scratching, and looked at me, a speculative gleam in his eyes.  
  
This was not reassuring. I raised an eyebrow, trying to deflect him. "It followed me ..."  
  
"...can you keep it?" he finished with a tiny smile.   
  
Gods, no. That is not where you want to go at all. I just kept my mouth closed and looked at him pleasantly, praying he would leave. The puppy was squirming, trying to get down, but Treize kept rubbing its back and head, trying to calm it, keeping it with him.  
  
_Good - good - that's a good sign, a very good sign,_ my mind babbled. _Maybe he'll leave ...   
_  
But he kept looking at me with those piercing blue eyes, eyes that seemed to see just what I was thinking -   
  
_Bad. Bad for me, not good at all. DO something, Po._ My mind was working overtime. _Make small talk, or ... or, gads, do something, and do it quickly.   
_  
I smiled a little, trying to appear friendly. "It's ... cute." Yeah. Cute, in a yellow-eyed, please-don't-bite-me kind of way. "How many dogs are there? About six?"  
  
"Six," Treize replied, nodding. "Plus the adult, making a good, healthy seven." He was still scratching the puppy, but now his look was more meditative than predatory, if that makes sense.   
Right. There was a short silence, while I gathered my scattered wits to figure out what ELSE to say - preferably something that wouldn't make me appear too stupid or dull. "Umm ... they get pretty large, too ... don't they ..." I was feeling increasingly uneasy. Treize never did anything without a reason, and I didn't know why he was standing there with that strange expression for such a long time. I didn't like it at all.  
  
Finally he tilted his head and smiled, but the light in his eyes wasn't very nice. "Would you like to meet the dogs, Sally?"  
  
I looked at Treize, then at the puppy in his hands, and swallowed. Gads. I certainly wasn't expecting him to say that.   
  
"Come along."

* * *

* * *

Treize led me down the hall, past Trowa and into his office. I glanced at Trowa as I followed Treize. Outwardly, he looked stoic and calm. I had the distinct impression that he was nervous, though, that there was something wrong.  
  
_Flux. Change. Anankha changing the written - consorting - so many together - I cannot see -_  
  
And that was the only impression I received from Trowa, as Treize ushered me quickly into his office. I walked into the middle of the room and stopped, confused. A sea of puppies stared up at me with bright, dark eyes and wagging tails, looking terribly cute, with tongues lolling out of one side of their mouths. Wufei wasn't in sight. The puppies weren't whining, exactly, but they were making cute puppy noises.  
  
I looked back at Treize, hoping this was as far as he wanted me to go.  
  
He smiled, gently handed me the puppy he was holding and gestured to the floor. "Here you are. Have a seat, Sally."  
  
"Umm ... well ... all right. Thank you." The wee small animal lay in my hands and I looked down at it, blinking. The puppy was so tiny that he easily fit into my palm, but he wiggled about so much that I needed to keep both hands around him to make sure he didn't fall. Tucking him close to my body, I took a deep breath, shifting him? her? I didn't know - so he was in a more comfortable position, and sank to my knees in the middle of the floor, all the while praying that the puppies didn't attack en masse like the adult dogs did.   
  
Fortunately, they didn't; in fact, they stayed in place, staring and panting. I was surprised; puppies were like children, and I had expected them to leap all over the place, to be undisciplined and unruly. But these puppies were waiting for something, I realized, when I felt Treize put his hand on my shoulder. He knelt down next to me, smiled reassuringly, and turned his attention to the puppies.   
  
"This is Sally," he said, enunciating clearly, his hand on my shoulder, nodding at me while gazing at each of the puppies, "a friend. Treat her as such." The puppies stared at him for a moment, then as one they leaped forward, trying to scramble over each other in their eagerness to get to me. The puppy in my hand turned completely around and leaped up my chest in his bid to get to my face first. All the puppies decided they needed to lick every inch of exposed skin on my face, arms and chest at once.   
  
"I - wait, please - oh, no, please - wait!" I cried, laughing, surprised, trying to get my bearings as I was suddenly bowled over by sheer puppy enthusiasm. They were everywhere at once, licking and jumping and yipping and gnawing a little, being very cute and adorable. I was knocked over with a whump, giggling, puppies all over me.  
  
"Don't let them bite, Sally," Treize said gently, amused. "I'm trying to train them."  
  
I looked up at him, sprawled on the floor, my face being washed by six tiny tongues, feeling rather undignified. "All right, Treize ... but how- ?" and I had to gently remove one of the more adventurous puppies from my neck and face, "- how do I stop them?"  
  
"You tell them not to, and you pull away. Swat them lightly if they don't let go. Don't let them break the skin."  
  
"Okay." I was able to dislodge one puppy from my wrist, and another from my opposite hand with a firm, "Let go, now." Surprisingly enough, they did - as if they understood exactly what I said.  
  
I scratched them, murmuring praise. "Ah! What good dogs. Excellent!" I couldn't believe how quickly the puppies obeyed. I was smiling and talking to them, scratching them on their bellies and behind their ears. "Oooo, you're just so cute, aren't you? What are your names? Do you have names?"  
  
"They haven't been given names yet. If you wish to name one or two, you certainly may."  
  
I looked up at Treize, beaming. "Really? Oh, I'd like that."  
  
He smiled back. "I did say so."  
  
The puppy I had been holding crawled up on my lap again, begging for more attention. I laughed and picked him up. "Let's see .... what should we name you? How about .... Jack?"  
  
Treize chuckled. "Jack works. He'll answer to that." Raising his voice a little, he called, "Jack!"  
  
The puppy looked up, obviously responding to his name. I was amazed. "Jack, you're just too cute, aren't you," I cooed, scratching behind his ears. For an answer, Jack barked and wriggled, clearly enjoying himself. I laughed, rubbing his head; he really was too cute. Other puppies wriggled over me, wagging their tails, churning their bodies across my legs and into my lap, happily licking and gnawing me.   
  
"No!" I gently removed one little female that was relentless in her attempt to nibble at my wrist. "No biting," I said, my voice stern, eyeing the puppy. "You know that."  
  
Her ears drooped and she looked guilty for a moment; then her tail started to wag again, hesitantly at first, then with more enthusiasm. She hopped at me, her paws patting at my arm, begging to be petted, making the most adorable face I had ever seen.  
  
"Oh ... all right." I gave in, put Jack down on the floor and picked her up, grinning. "Now, let's see ... I think your name is - Amelia. Yes?" I held her up and showed her to Treize, smiling.  
  
He nodded. "Amelia is fine." The puppy barked at him, responding to her name immediately, wriggling in my hands.  
  
I was delighted. "Ooooo, you're just too cute, too, aren't you?" I cuddled Amelia, scratching vigorously behind her ears and down her back, giving her all my attention. Jack clamored for attention as well, as did all the other puppies. It was so relaxing that I lost all track of time and just played with the dogs. I glanced in Treize's direction several times; he was leaning against his desk, watching me with an enigmatic smile, very obviously pleased about something.  
  
He CHANGED the written. I can see NOTHING, nothing at ALL -   
  
Trowa caught me off guard again. This time, though, I was lucky; I wasn't looking straight at Treize - Amelia and Jack were licking my face and hands as I was playing with them. Otherwise, Treize would have known for certain that something was wrong. I saw my hands shake before my vision blurred.  
  
_Trowa, what are you saying? What's wrong? I've never heard you so distraught -  
_  
_It has all changed; it is changing now, as I look. The tapestry is unraveling, reweaving... . I know nothing, can see nothing surrounding you or anyone else, nothing at all ..._  
  
"Are you all right, Sally?"  
  
I slowly withdrew my hand from the puppies and looked up at Treize, not having to feign the confusion I felt. "I'm - not sure. All of a sudden I'm feeling ... so tired ..."  
  
Concern flickered across his features, but not before I caught the hint of smug satisfaction. "Perhaps you are ill. Come." Treize leaned down and gently took my arm, helping me to stand.  
  
I leaned on him as I rose, brushing off the puppies that tried to cling to me. "Down, Jack," I said, chucking the dog under the chin, then pushing him down.  
  
The puppy immediately responded. His tail thumping back and forth, he obediently jumped to the floor, panting. I swore he was smiling, too.   
  
"You are pale," Treize said, guiding me away from the dogs. "Come. Perhaps you wish to lie down in the sun? Or inside?" He was supporting me gently, leading me out of the room and into the hall.  
  
"Ah .. yes, that sounds very nice," I said, feeling grateful. Now that I was on my feet, I realized I did need to lean on him. My knees were wobbly, and I felt dizzy. "I felt wonderful this morning, but .. I feel so strange now ..."  
  
"That's to be expected. But where would you like to lie down, Sally? Outside, or inside?" Treize sounded amused at something.  
  
Color rose in my cheeks as I realized I hadn't told him where I wanted to go. "Oh - outside, please, Treize."  
  
"Of course, my dear," he murmured, chuckling, pulling me closer to his body as we walked toward the French doors to the patio. I didn't object when he did that at all. In fact, it felt comfortable, and right, and I relaxed into him, right under his arm and next to his hip.   
  
We walked in silence for a few minutes. It felt natural. Protected. Nice. I liked it. Part of my mind shrieked in outraged, terrified protest, shocked beyond belief that I would even consider being comfortable around him.   
  
Yes, well, too bad. I couldn't explain it, but there it was. Life was full of contradictions. I hated myself for it ... but I couldn't fight it, either. It was so hard to explain, and I was much too tired to start. Feh, feh, feh.  
  
"Here you are, Sally. You can use this deck chair."  
  
"Ah .. thank you, Treize -"  
  
I heard sniffing beside me. Before I had a chance to look down, Treize smiled and said, "Eh - I forgot. Korosu, this is Sally, a friend." Treize took my hand and held it out to the only adult dog left on the island, the dog that very nearly ended my life. Korosu sniffed at my proffered hand and gave it a large, sloppy lick. I almost died right there.  
  
"Good boy," Treize murmured in approval. He still held my hand firmly in place, and would not let me pull back until the dog stopped sniffing my fingers on his own.   
  
_Everything has changed,_ Trowa moaned. _Everything ... everything ... I cannot see -  
_  
"Hi - Korosu." I managed a weak smile and swallowed, thinking of huge, yellow eyed dogs with enormous teeth, and how enemies can suddenly become friends.   
  
Korosu woofed, a rumbling, basso sound and wagged his tail in greeting. Then, his duty done, he turned and trotted off, going to patrol.  
  
"There we go. That's all of them." Treize smiled as he released my arm settled me in the deck chair, brushing stray strands of hair off my cheek. "Do you need anything?" He leaned over me, the sunlight turning the edges of his hair golden. "A drink? An umbrella?"  
  
"Ah ... no, I don't think so." I blinked, looking up at him, trying to keep my eyes open against overwhelming sleepiness. "Thank you so much, Treize."  
  
"Rest well, Sally." He touched the side of my face gently with the back of his hand again, a fond gesture. "I must get back to work."  
  
I nodded, my eyes closing, the sunlight making my skin tingle. His footsteps echoed on the flagstones as he walked across the courtyard into the house, leaving me alone.  
  
Turning my head to the side, I let the warm sunlight sink straight through my pores, into my muscles and bones. I dozed. That was the last thing I remembered until something large, wet and cold pressed into my hand and a heavy weight thumped on my stomach.   
  
"Ooof!" I groaned. I opened my eyes to see Korosu, his snout resting on my stomach, giving me this terribly pitiful look that dogs manage when they want someone to pet them. The dog and I eyed each other for several long moments, sizing each other up. Then Korosu opened his mouth and yawned, showing me ALL of his teeth, nuzzled my hand so that it would flop on top of his head, and made sad, pitiful whining sounds. I sighed. There was no way out.  
  
"Oh ... geez, all right, Korosu," I muttered, rolling my eyes and reaching to scratch him behind his ears. He opened his muzzle again, exposing his long canines, but only panted and moved his snout closer to my face so I could reach farther behind his ears. Obviously, he was a pro at getting his ears scratched. I chucked to myself. Nice. The old guy's showing the new girl the ropes.   
  
We stayed like that for a while, he with his head on my stomach, me with my face to the sun, fingers busily scratching behind his ears. After a while, Korosu managed to 'walk' his way up my chest so that his head was pretty close to mine, his muzzle resting comfortably on my collarbone. It was pleasant. Restful. Incredibly, it was everything a lazy morning should be.  
  
I had no inkling of trouble until Korosu growled, a deep throated, threatening sound, and raised his head off my chest, staring across the courtyard. I had only heard that growl once before in my life, and I never wanted to hear it again.  
  
Immediately, fear thrummed along my nerves. "Korosu - what's the matter, boy, what's wrong?" The dog's eyes had narrowed and his lips were curled back, exposing his teeth in a totally different way than he had for me, frightening to see so close. Korosu growled again; this time, the sound was forceful, deeper in his chest, louder, reverberating off the flagstones.  
  
"What the hell -"  
  
I sat up in time to see a man, about fifteen to twenty meters away from me, wearing a wetsuit and carrying a large, black submachine gun running toward the house, his eyes huge and crazed. Korosu snarled, a bloodcurdling sound, and charged.  
  
As Korosu leaped over me, I rolled off the chaise lounge and onto the ground, looking for cover. The hound was in full voice as he charged, barking and snarling viciously. The man met Korosu, leveled his gun at him and screamed, "Kushrenada killed my family - by God, I'm gonna kill everything and everybody here that I can!"  
  
Then he started firing, and chaos erupted.  
  
Guards appeared out of nowhere, firing back and shouting at the intruder. He continued firing, rolling and running around the courtyard, dodging behind the table. Somehow, no one hit him yet, and he was still firing.   
  
I almost made it to the house when a burning, streaking pain ripped into my back and through my side. Gasping, I stumbled and fell - and gods, there was a lot of pain. So much pain - I didn't even feel it when I hit the ground. It hurt to breathe - I couldn't move - and it was hard, so hard to think.   
  
A long time passed, and I lay on the ground, bleeding. I knew I was bleeding. It felt wet around my back. Strange feeling, that. I couldn't reach it, either.  
  
"Don't try to talk, Sally. We're going to get you to a hospital."  
  
" .... Wufei ....?"   
  
"Shhh. He's fine. Be quiet, Sally. Listen to me and do what you're told, for once."   
  
I closed my eyes and felt the world fade away, thinking Treize sounded a little too amused considering I had just been shot.

* * *

* * *

Floating ... floating ... somewhere ...  
  
_ " ... but Daddy - Daddy, I can move in dreams ... I'll come visit you!  
I visit other people too, Daddy, lots of people. I see them  
when I dream."  
  
"I know you will, princess -"  
  
_"Treize, she's still bleeding. Where are the damn MEDICS?"  
  
"Wufei. Calm down. They're coming. Move over here and let DiMencio through. He can't help if you're in the way."  
  
_ " - shouldn't allow that child anywhere NEAR Beijing, and you know it!  
If the two of you want to throw your lives away and rot in that hole  
you call a hospital, go ahead; but she's bright and capable enough   
that she shouldn't be forced to do it, too. Send her to L3, at least,   
Angli; I'll take care of the rest, if you won't. She deserves a   
chance."  
_  
"If anything happens to her ... I should have been with her, I could have killed him, GODS, I am so fucking STUPID -"  
  
_"WUFEI -"  
  
_Sudden massive jostling PAINGODSPAIN someone's screaming -  
  
_"_Strap her DOWN DiMencio! Start the IV now!"  
  
"Treize, let me GO!"  
  
_"WUFEI."  
  
_I was moving somewhere, being carried. I blinked. Blurry - things were so blurry - was that Wufei? His face was scrunched as if someone punched him.   
  
"...Wu ... fei ..."  
  
It WAS Wufei. He gasped and looked right at me, close enough for me to touch. If I had the strength.   
  
"Sally Po, didn't I tell you not to talk?" Treize's voice hovered over my ear, gentle, calming. "Save your strength, dear. Wufei won't leave you. He's right here."  
  
_Go to sleep, Sally. You must rest, so you can heal. Wufei is upset. He needs you, Sally. Rest.  
  
... I ... will. But - pain -  
  
The pain will fade, Sally. Rest, now. Rest.  
_  
Wufei's face was close to mine. "Woman. Don't be stubborn. Do what I tell you. Don't you DARE die, do you hear me?"  
  
Overwhelming tiredness. Eyes closing. " ..'kay ...'fei... won't. Promise ..."  
  
Breath whispered between my lips as the world softly turned black.  
  
"Take her down and prep her for surgery, please. General, the bullet grazed her lung and pierced her liver. Fortunately, we will be able to remove it, but there could be complications...."  
  
"Wufei. Stay here, please. I want you listening to Sally's prognosis."  
  
Moving again, smoothly this time. I was hovering between the gray of almost awake and the comforting darkness of sleep.  
  
_ "......doesn't look so dangerous now, does she? Some freedom fighter SHE   
turned out to be, shot in the back. Bet she was running away."  
  
" Right. And hey - see the way the General had to pry that gundam pilot   
off her before we brought her down here? I thought he was going to jump   
on the gurney, he was so insistent."  
  
"- yeah, I did. But did you see the way the General was looking at the   
pilot? Oooh, what I wouldn't give to have him look at ME that way -"  
  
"I know, I know, and what a waste - that guy didn't even NOTICE! Here,  
this vein's pretty good -"  
  
"Mmmm, thanks. And geez, you're right - some people have no idea how   
lucky they ARE. A rehabilitated gundam pilot, living with the leader of   
OZ, who looks at him like that? Really. I'd trade places with that kid   
any time. What is wrong with him? You know, seriously, that man would   
probably give anything to -"_  
  
Their voices faded as I was gently pulled into the darkness.

* * *

* * *

_... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ...   
_  
I stirred, groggy, hearing the alarm.   
  
Alarm? As in ... time to get up?  
  
_... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ...   
_  
Get up? Gods, I had to get moving. I couldn't lay here. I had to be with Wufei. It was my job to protect him, to keep him safe.   
  
_... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ... beep, beep ...   
_  
The alarm had an urgent sound to it, the beeps coming closer together, the entire cadence speeding up. Strange - that's how I felt. Close to panicking, but not quite there. I was late - I was late, and I had to get up, force my eyes open, get out of bed, get moving, get to Wufei. Something terrible, something enormous had happened to him, I knew it, I could feel it, and it was dreadful. I had to be there for him, had to find him, had to -  
  
_Hello._  
  
A large presence gently pushed itself into my thoughts and stayed there, forcing me to stop my pinwheeling, out-of-control panic and focus on it alone.  
  
_...Trowa? Is that you?  
  
Yes, Sally.  
_  
I waited a moment, gathering my scattered thoughts, shocked. He waited with me, quiet, steadfast.   
  
_The beeping you hear is not an alarm. Open your eyes and look to your right before you start asking questions._   
  
I gently opened my eyes to a blurry, white room, dominated by machines of all types. Shifting my gaze to the right, I saw a high meal tray with a vase of slightly wilted, cut flowers and another machine monitoring something ... Ah. My vital signs. Right, right - that was the one making all the noise.   
  
_Oh..._ Pieces of memory floated to me. _I'm in the hospital. Someone shot me.  
  
Yes, that's correct.   
_  
My mind was not working very well. I couldn't remember. _What else happened, Trowa? How long have I been here? Please - tell me everything -   
_  
There was silence for a moment; then I felt a change in my mind. Trowa must have decided to tell me everything. _Very well. This is your fourth day in the hospital; you have been unconscious three of those four days. Une is alive, but barely. She attempted suicide after the intruder was subdued, blaming herself for the poor security on the island.  
_  
I was horrified. _Une tried to kill herself? But how -  
  
Yes. She attempted to shoot herself in the head, but at the last moment was distracted and shot herself in the throat. An assassin found the island, tried to kill Treize and failed. Three men are dead, including the assassin. Treize called the dragon. He is premature. Have you any more questions?  
_  
Now I lay there, staring at one of the machines. No. I could not have heard him correctly. _Wha - what did you say? Would you repeat that, starting at "Three men are dead ... ?"  
  
Of course. Three men are dead, including the assassin. Treize called the dragon. He is premature. Have you any questions?  
_  
The muscles connecting my jaw and neck went slack. There was no mistake. I heard correctly the first time. I found I was staring at nothing in particular while a numb, tingling sensation crept across my face and down my body. I was in total shock.  
  
_... when ...  
  
Last night. Your third night away from the island.  
  
... oh. I ... see.   
_  
No questions sprang to mind. Gads, what was there to say? I lay there, breathing faster, feeling strangely disconnected. I had failed Wufei, and it was over. That was that. I had promised the dragon god Seiryuu that I would protect Wufei, his Child, and did I? Oh, no, no, not hardly. Treize got to him when I wasn't there. It didn't matter that I was shot - it didn't matter why it happened - it just mattered that it happened.  
  
_No, Sally, you are wrong. I saw in the written that Treize would call the dragon. But it is not over - you will be leaving the island soon._   
  
There was no mercy for those who failed at this magnitude. _Oh, I'm sure I will be. Trowa. My presence isn't needed there anymore. In fact ... I'm not there now ... am I ...  
  
_It felt as if Trowa paused. That is not correct. _And when I said you would be leaving, that included you and Wufei.   
_  
A deep breath, painful, helped me focus. _Both - of us? You - you see that?  
  
Yes. However, you must go back to the island first. I told you this so that you were prepared.   
  
_I closed my eyes, thinking what an appalling shock that would have been had he not told me before I saw Wufei. _Ah. Then - thank you. When am I supposed to go back?  
  
In an hour. Treize has not forgotten you, per se, but he nearly has. You will have more freedom, but less leeway.  
  
I ... don't understand. What do you mean?  
  
He will pay you less attention on the whole, so you don't need to worry so much about getting caught. However - if you ARE caught, the penalties will be severe. He will not have as much mercy. His attentions are elsewhere, as you can well guess. Be warned - he is behaving almost drunkenly._  
  
Gods. That was not good, not good at all. Drunken meant unstable, and an unstable Treize was something I didn't even want to consider.  
  
_I need to contact Duo and Heero. Was my phone left with my clothes?  
  
No. It was taken away this morning, by Treize._  
  
I blinked, and realized my mouth was suddenly dry.   
  
_He - he actually wants to keep me on that island with Wufei?  
  
Oh, yes, absolutely. You are a necessary part of the equation, something required for Wufei's emotional, mental and physical balance; plus, he enjoys you. You are as unique in your line as Wufei is in his. Because of the dragon, though, he is not thinking as clearly as he ought._  
  
My mind finally started working. _So. If we're going to go, this would be the time ...  
  
He is drunk enough. He would let you go.  
  
... and Wufei with me?  
  
Yes. He believes Wufei is indelibly his, and to some extent, that is true.   
  
_Oh gods. Here it was. I looked around the room, knowing I was alone and this was probably the only chance I would have. My jaw tightened and I closed my eyes. I knew this was going to hurt, no matter how it was done. Might as well get it over with as soon as possible.  
  
_Trowa. Show me what happened to Wufei. Show me how Treize called the dragon._

* * *

* * *

I was standing in the hospital corridor, completely dressed and cured, with Trowa standing next to me. I turned to him, puzzled.   
  
_You're not here. This has already happened. You can change nothing that you see, and the people around you can neither see nor hear you.  
  
Oh._   
  
Wufei trudged down the corridor, Treize next to him, his arm across Wufei's shoulders. Wufei hardly seemed to notice; his head was down, his shoulders were hunched and he had a pained, pinched expression, one I'd never seen before. His entire demeanor was depressed.  
  
They walked past us to the elevator, silent, and took the car to the helicopter pad on the roof of the building. Wufei looked more dejected with every step he took.  
  
Abruptly, I found myself sitting inside the helicopter with Trowa, across from Wufei and Treize. Treize's hand was on Wufei's arm; Wufei did not seem to be aware of it. Trowa looked at me calmly.  
  
_Do not worry. As I said, this already occurred. I will not include spots within the narrative I consider 'redundant.'  
  
Oh_, I thought as I stared back, blinking. I see.

> Wufei started speaking. It sounded as if he hadn't meant to say anything at all; apparently, his feelings of loneliness and despair simply caught up with him. He looked straight ahead, his gaze fixed on the seat in front of him, and spoke tonelessly.  
  
"Strong women DIE around me, Treize. First my wife, and now Sally. It's my fault. I should have been there for her."

Probably seeing me lying in bed with all that machinery surrounding me and not being able to do anything to help made him feel even worse. I longed to reach out and touch him, to reassure him that I was fine, would be fine.

> Treize's eyes glittered under lowered lids. "Nonsense, Wufei. You cannot control someone else's fate. You understand, even though you protest against it. Sally is fortunate to have you as her protector, someone who cares enough to insure her well being. You have done that time and time again, even asking me to preserve her life as I do yours."  
  
"...yes. I did." Wufei darted a quick, guarded look at Treize, suspicious and disturbed.  
  
"You heard the surgeon. The operation was a huge success, and Sally will be back with us by the end of the week. Her prognosis is excellent."  
  
They were silent for the duration of the trip to the island. Treize kept his hand on Wufei's arm; and Wufei did not shake it off. Wufei's aura, black and red streaked with purple bruising, swirled in confusion and moved toward Treize.

I swallowed, saddened. In the next moment, Trowa and I were standing just to the left of the dining table, watching Wufei and Treize at dinner. Wufei was hardly eating at all. Treize was watching him closely.

> "Wufei. Your friends are fortunate to have such a person as you in their lives. I wonder, at times, if they realize that."  
  
Wufei glanced across the table. "Really? I don't think they would consider themselves 'fortunate' to know me."  
  
"Ah, Wufei. After all you've done for them? ... I'm surprised. Perhaps that's because you've neglected to tell them about the small favors you've requested on their behalf."  
  
Treize stopped speaking and sat back, watching the impact of his words. Wufei replaced his silverware very carefully on the table and blotted his lips with his napkin before looking up. His face was an expressionless mask, but his dusky complexion had turned several shades paler.  
  
"Explain - please - what you mean." Wufei had not asked in a belligerent, angry manner - rather, he had asked as one seeking information, staring at Treize, inquisitive, polite. Quite a change from the gundam pilot brought to Treize several months ago.  
  
Treize's lips quirked into not quite a smile. "Of course. On several different occasions, you promised to do various things or carry out various tasks if I, in turn, did something for your friends. You recall the agreements we were able to reach regarding Heero, Duo, and Relena, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, of course." Wufei's answer was brusque. "However, I don't understand -"  
  
"But then perhaps you will recall several requests with regards to Sally. Initially, I agreed to have her transferred here gratis, did I not? And I kept to that agreement, even after the small incident during her initial recovery."  
  
A slow flush worked its way up from Wufei's neck to his cheekbones at the mention of my 'first' recovery. Treize's eyebrow went up, and he nodded.  
  
"Yes. I see you remember. Perhaps you will also remember, then, the other instance when you asked me to preserve her life."  
  
Even though Wufei's demeanor was stoic, it was appalling to see his face turn pale almost immediately. The control that Treize exerted over Wufei's emotions was frightening.  
  
"Indeed, Wufei," Treize said softly. "And do you recall what you promised in return for my preserving Ms. Po's life?"  
  
There was a short silence. Wufei clenched his jaw and dropped his gaze to the table. "I - promised to do something for you. At some other time."  
  
"Yes, you did." The general looked at him, his smile gentle. "That time is now. I would like to see you at my quarters at seven AM tomorrow morning, please. Be prompt."  
  
"Yes, sir," Wufei muttered, still staring at the table. He did not look up when Treize caressed his cheek with his thumb, only shuddered and clasped his hands in his lap.   
  
"Good evening, Wufei. Seven AM sharp."

I looked over at Trowa, defeated. He inclined his head to the right, motioning me to look. We had transported from the dining room to Treize's quarters, and were standing just inside Treize's bedroom. Inhaling sharply, I stared at the huge bed that appeared to dominate the entire room, then out the bedroom door at Treize's back. Horror and misery mixed in equal parts as I turned on Trowa, furious, nearly crying.   
  
_GODS. This isn't necessary - what the hell are we doing here, Trowa? Do you think I need to see them fuck - WANT to see them fuck? That's what Treize is going to do, isn't it? Do you think I need to see how Treize takes advantage of a fifteen year old boy? That I need to see two males have sex? Why, Trowa? WHY?_  
  
_Sally. This is how the dragon is called - or rather, how the dragon is awakened. It is, perhaps, the most intense experience a mortal could ever see or experience. As his Guardian, you should know and understand all aspects of the dragon that you possibly can._  
  
The longer I stared at Trowa, openmouthed, the more I understood. He just didn't get it. He wasn't a person - he wasn't human. He didn't have emotions or feelings; he was driven by logic, or something else, and it was logical to him that I should see something so personal and integral to Wufei's nature. The hell with how it would affect me; that didn't have any place in the scheme of things. I was Wufei's Guardian, whatever that was. I needed to know something, so here was the information. I should just stuff whatever I thought about it somewhere else and go on with my life.  
  
My soul was crying. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to know this. It hurt too much. But there was no reasonable way out.  
  
_We will not see the entire day, Sally. It took over twelve hours to call the dragon. As I said before, I will not include spots within the narrative I consider 'redundant.'_  
  
Wasn't that just dandy. I braced myself.

* * *

> The bell chimed promptly at seven AM. Treize opened the door, and Wufei walked in as if he was walking to his own funeral.  
  
"Wufei," Treize smiled. "No need to be so gloomy. I have breakfast prepared for you. Come over here, please."  
  
Scowling, suspicious, Wufei walked through the foyer to the dining area where a servant was busily making breakfast. Treize's quarters were on the third story of the mansion, and could have been called a luxury apartment in its own right.   
  
"What kind would you like?" Treize had already chosen his ingredients and was watching the chef cook his omelet with a small smile. "All the ingredients are out on that table."  
  
Blinking in surprise, Wufei looked at Treize, then the chef. He walked over to the other table, mulling over breakfast choices. After choosing his ingredients he watched the chef prepare his omelet; then, as there was no other choice, he sullenly accepted his food and sat down across from Treize, silent and stiff.   
  
All kinds of fruits and juices were available, plus grains and cereals - in fact, it was a breakfast that was the same as any other they usually had together in the other part of the mansion. Wufei visibly relaxed during the meal; and as he did, Treize became more ... predatory.   
  
The servants, as always, were practically invisible. They were in the background, clearing dishes, moving food platters, cleaning up. This time, however, the last of the servants left at a discreet signal from Treize, closing the door softly as he walked out of the suite.  
  
"Bring your tea and come into the sitting room, Wufei. There's a marvelous view of the sea from here."  
  
Nodding stiffly, Wufei scooped up his tea and left the table. He walked across the room to the French doors that opened to the patio and sighed, looking at the water.  
  
"Here, Wufei. Sit here, please."  
  
His shoulders tensed. Turning, his eyes dark and full of foreboding, Wufei walked back to the couch and sat where Treize indicated, facing the sea, taut as a bowstring.   
  
Treize sat down next to him, his left arm resting lightly behind Wufei's shoulders on the back of the divan. "Wufei," he murmured, "I have not seen the likes of you in ... oh ... three thousand years. Did you know that?"  
  
His eyes narrowed and his lips compressed into a thin line; his breathing, though, gave him away, as it became a little more ragged, more forced. "I have no idea what you're talking about. And I have no idea what you want. But the breakfast was good." Wufei refused to look at Treize and kept his face calm and composed. Instead, he took a sip of tea, his chin jutting out, defiant.  
  
Treize smiled, a slow, knowing smile. "Indeed. It is possible you don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm sure that you do know ... something. Don't you ... we've discussed it before." And with that, he allowed his fingers to dip down to Wufei's shoulder, tracing the lines of his muscles gently through the fabric, watching his reaction.  
  
Small shivers ran up and down Wufei's arms, tremors that rattled the teacup on its saucer. He breathed in quickly and his eyes widened, involuntarily looking at Treize, most of his composure gone. Trying to cover his shaking hands, he leaned forward to put his tea on the small table in front of the couch.   
  
"I ... I ..."  
  
"Here - allow me," Treize murmured, his voice sonorous and rich. He leaned forward, his right hand brushing Wufei's shaking hand with his own, taking the cup and saucer from Wufei and gently placing it on the table. At the same time, his left arm quietly wrapped around Wufei's shoulders, pulling the boy closer to him as he captured Wufei's lips in a gentle, exploring kiss.  
  
Wufei gasped and struggled briefly, but had no defense against Treize's superior strength and experience.  
  
As his fingers explored Wufei's face, mapping out sensitive spots wherever he could reach. Treize murmured against Wufei's lips, "I will not hurt you, Wufei. You are precious to me. Beautiful. Exquisite and rare. Something to be treasured, never abused. I will never hurt you, Wufei. Believe me."

I watched, breathing faster, my throat tight. Remember when he did that to you? my mind whispered to me. Remember? Now he's doing it to Wufei. And this is real.

> Gently, gently, Treize continued assaulting Wufei's body with his hands, all the while claiming his lips, his jaw and his neck with relentless, insistent kisses. Wufei's will was crumbling in the wave of this assault. His head fell back against Treize's shoulder, giving Treize unwilling access to his neck, melting under Treize's spell. His eyes were closed, but thin, wet tracks of tears shone against his cheeks and his body was limp in Treize's embrace.   
  
The general smiled, a predator's smile, then bent his head and continued his offensive. By this time, Treize had opened Wufei's shirt and exposed his chest, and now was removing the boy's trousers. He laid Wufei back on the couch tenderly, hovering over him as he continued to touch and fondle his body.   
  
"Ohh ... " Wufei moaned as Treize stroked his nipples, then slowly moved his hands down his chest and dipped lower, across his belly. Moving his hands toward Wufei's thighs, then ghosting them across his loins, Treize muffled Wufei's moans with his mouth. Intensifying his play, Treize left a trail of wet, suckling kisses down the side of the pilot's jaw to his neck, then from his neck to his chest. His tongue flickered teasingly across Wufei's chest as his head moved along the length of the pilot's body to join his hands, now focused intimately on Wufei.   
  
Wufei gasped and moaned, writhing in Treize's embrace. Treize's expression was nothing less than blissful.

Turning my back on the scene, my arms tightly wrapped around me, my insides raw and bleeding, I couldn't drag my gaze away from the floor. _I don't need to see any more, Trowa. I don't want to see any more. I understand what happened. Take me back._   
  
_Sally. Please. Look at Wufei's aura. Do not focus on the act; rather, focus on its result.  
_  
Gods, he really didn't get humans at ALL; either that, or my feelings made no difference. Reluctantly I turned back, focusing only on Wufei's head, trying to ignore every other sight and sound in the room. What I saw was strange - really strange.   
  
Wufei's aura, normally red and black, looked as if it was turning a dark orange as well. It was swirling about his body like a blazing hurricane, with most of the disturbance centered around his head. Suddenly Wufei's face twisted into a grimace of ecstasy and he cried out, his entire body arching upward, and for a moment - a single, solitary moment - there was a flash of red and gold around his head, something incandescent, nearly too bright to see.   
  
I blinked - did I see that? Looking closely again, I saw only Wufei, his aura still whirling about his body, now being lovingly tucked under Treize's arm. His eyes were closed and his body limp, and he appeared to be happily asleep.  
  
_That was the dragon, Sally. You saw a flash of the dragon being born. Only an instant, true, but a small part of the process.  
_  
Without warning, Trowa and I moved from room to room with Wufei and Treize, at least four to five more times. Trowa was as good as his word; he didn't show anything he considered redundant, so I was spared seeing other more personal, intimate moments between them. However, every time Wufei climaxed, we were there. I kept my gaze focused on Wufei's head. Each experience seemed a little more intense for him, and each time more of the dragon's colors flashed for a longer period of time.   
  
Treize was extremely gentle with Wufei, but insistent at the same time. He took care of all Wufei's needs, only permitting small rest periods in between the times he stimulated him. He made sure Wufei ate, bathed him, always touched him, petted him. His expression as he looked at Wufei was exultant.  
  
_This will be the last time, Sally._ We were standing in the corner of Treize's bedroom. I didn't want to look anywhere else except at Trowa, for fear of what I was going to see. I could already hear them, and this ... sounded quite different than what they had been doing before.  
  
_Oh. All right. I can do this._ I thought my emotions were stupefied to the whole process. Once I turned and looked at the bed, though, I realized I was wrong.  
  
It was immediately apparent how this time was different from the previous times. I choked and spun around, going for the doorway.   
  
_Trowa, HOW COULD YOU? I am NOT WATCHING THIS -_  
  
_Sally, turn around now. The dragon is being born. It is the manifestation of Wufei's soul. A human has never witnessed this event. You MUST witness for him.   
_  
I stopped, hearing the gasps and moans behind me, now with the added punctuation of Treize's deeper cries. Slowly, I turned around. _For ... Wufei.  
_  
Their bodies were intertwined; Treize was above Wufei, and the pace he set was fierce. Wufei's cries became more guttural, more frenetic. His aura looked like a supernova, flashing red and gold almost continuously, merging with his black and red and coalescing at his head. Treize had stopped masking his true essence, and the room was flooded with bronze light. He threw back his head and roared as both he and Wufei climaxed together, shaking the bed to its foundations. At the same time, brilliant flashes of red and gold spiked throughout the room, faster and faster, until one neon bright burst of light burnt my eyes.   
  
When I could finally see again, there was Wufei - a shaking, dazed, utterly exhausted Wufei, cradled in Treize's arms - and above Wufei's head was the most fantastic thing I'd ever seen. It was a thin, translucent, orange and red dragon, hardly wider than my arm, large head blindly nosing for Treize. Treize had a huge, insanely happy grin on his face, as if he had just produced something extraordinary. He pulled Wufei into a warm, protective embrace, nuzzling and petting him constantly, never taking his hands off him for a second. They were both wrapped in the bedsheets; Treize kept one hand on the dragon and used the other to tenderly tuck the blankets and sheets around Wufei. .  
  
The next thing I knew I was looking at my hospital room, at the banks of monitors and machines surrounding my bed. I blinked, shuddered, and tried to move my head. Yes, I was here, in my bed.   
  
Trowa's voice was very soft. _That is all, Sally. That is how the dragon is called. Treize's people will come to collect you in approximately forty minutes. You have some time to yourself.  
_  
Tears were running down my face unchecked. I didn't acknowledge what Trowa said, because I couldn't stop weeping.

* * *

* * *

"Ms. Po? Can you hear me?"  
  
I opened my eyes to see a corpsman leaning down to speak to me. His tone was surprisingly gentle.  
  
"We've come to fetch you. The doctor said you can come home, and the General sent us to get you. Are you ready to travel?"  
  
Not trusting my voice, I nodded, closing my eyes briefly, then pushed myself up to a sitting position, ignoring the spiking pain in my back and side. I didn't care. I was going back to the island to see Wufei. Then we were going to leave. Period.

* * *

* * *

The weather was beautiful on the island - a clear, cool, sunny day. I wasn't allowed to walk out of the helicopter, though. In fact, when I tried to get up out of my seat, the Special's lips twitched a little as his arm gently forced me back against the cushions.  
  
"Ms. Po. You know better," he admonished, raising his eyebrow. "No walking on your own until the General permits it. The wheelchair is waiting outside."  
  
Gods. I shot him a look of pure venom before I remembered I was trying to be agreeable. "Sorry," I mumbled, apologetic. "I'd rather walk myself. It's habit."  
  
"I understand, but I have my orders."  
  
He scooped me up without another word and carried me as easily as a child, walking through the helicopter and down the steps. As he settled me in the wheelchair, I looked up to see Wufei and Treize waiting at the edge of the landing pad.   
  
Treize looked absolutely thrilled with the world; Wufei, on the other hand, did not. The dragon - that small, thin, translucent little thing - was wound in and around Wufei, just as the older dragon had wound in and around Seiryuu. This little one, though, had turned its head and was cringing down slightly, away from Treize.   
  
I looked closely at Wufei's dragon. The major difference that I could see between this creature and Seiryuu's, other than size, was that this wee little one was an infant. Not only was this one small, but it was definitely ... unfinished. It didn't even have scales.  
  
Trowa's voice spoke softly in my head. _Exactly right, Sally. Wufei's dragon is at least three years premature. Had Treize tried to call the dragon six months prior to this, he could have killed Wufei.  
_  
I blinked, startled. Premature? My mind just started to wrap around that concept when another, more immediate idea presented itself and completely astonished me.  
  
"Sally -" Wufei said, starting toward me.   
  
Treize put a hand on Wufei's shoulder, stopping him without a word.   
  
Immediately, Wufei stopped speaking and halted in place. At the same time, the little dragon turned its head around to look at Treize's hand, threw its head back, opened its mouth and made a soft, high, unhappy keening sound.  
  
But Wufei's face showed no change of expression; not a flicker of emotion, no response at all. The dragon, however, tried to push Treize's hand off Wufei's shoulder with its small translucent nose.  
  
Treize's features softened as he looked at the tiny creature wrapped around Wufei. "Saaa ..." he murmured, reaching up with his fingers to caress the dragon. Immediately, the infant stilled under his touch. At the same time, Wufei shuddered and closed his eyes, swaying a bit on his feet.   
  
The Specials wheeled me over to them. "Ms. Po's medical information, sir," said one of the soldiers, saluting, handing Treize a thick folder. Treize stopped petting the dragon to accept the packet with both hands, opening and scanning the material inside.  
  
Once Treize's hand was off the dragon Wufei went back to his old self. He peered at me discreetly, concerned.   
  
I smiled at him, not looking at Treize. "Hi, Wufei," I murmured.  
  
Relief washed across his face, and he gave me a small smile. I felt relieved as well; he looked so much healthier when he smiled. My smile grew a little larger and I gazed at him until I realized that Treize had been talking to me for a few moments. I blinked and turned my head, my attention on Treize.  
  
" - see that you're doing so well. Let's go inside now, shall we?"  
  
So saying, Treize draped his arm across Wufei's shoulders and guided him toward the house, apparently expecting everyone else to follow him. My escort shrugged, then pushed me several paces after them, following the couple into the house and down the hallway.   
  
We're going to his office, I thought, despair starting to creep through me again as I watched Treize lightly knead Wufei's shoulders. _And he doesn't even care if we follow him or not. He's not aware of anyone or anything now except Wufei.  
  
_Once inside, the Specials backed my chair into position in Treize's office, fussed around a little more making sure everything else was in order, saluted Treize and left. Korosu was laying on the sofa, his side swathed in large bandages. He woofed at me once, a low sound of greeting, then put his head on his paws and looked at me with sad, miserable dog eyes.   
  
Treize swept around his desk and sat down, motioning Wufei to stand next to him at the side of the desk. "Would you like to lie down, Sally?"  
  
"Oh, no thank you, Treize. I actually feel better being up for a while."  
  
He nodded at me. "Ah. Then, the library, perhaps?"  
  
I had the feeling he was constantly in motion, never stopping long enough to complete one thought or think through an entire task. That was odd, totally out of character for Treize.   
  
"Erm ... would you like me to go to the library, Treize?"  
  
Treize laughed. "Sally, I would like you to be comfortable. You have been through quite enough, don't you think?"  
  
"Well, yes, I think so. But I'd rather look at the positive side now, ne?"  
  
"Quite, quite ..." I could tell I was fading from his consciousness already. "Let me know if you want to do something. Wufei - "  
  
"Un."  
  
" - the blueprints we discussed the other night - let's continue working on those, shall we?"  
  
"Hai." After a few moments, Wufei spread the drawings out on the desk and sat down next to Treize, keeping his gaze on the paper. The dragon, though, was looking directly at me, not at the desk. Only the vaguest shadows of large, green eyes stared back.   
  
Trowa murmured very quietly in my mind. _What you see the dragon doing is what Wufei is actually thinking and feeling. Remember, the dragon is the manifestation of his soul - and his soul is not human.  
_  
Both Treize and Wufei were bent over the drawings. Treize glanced at the dragon, followed its gaze, and shot one intense, irritated look in my direction. Immediately, however, he went back to pointing out various features on the drawing to Wufei, features that someone in his position would normally go over with an aide.  
  
Sitting quietly in front of them, I sighed. This performance wasn't for my benefit - not really. Treize simply didn't care if I was there or not. He could not keep his gaze from wandering over Wufei again and again. Any personal space Wufei might have had was gone; Treize pulled his chair so close to Wufei that he was practically leaning on his shoulder, nearly breathing in his ear. Wufei was flushing badly. His expression was stoic, as always, but he looked as though he wanted the floor to open so he could sink into it and never come up again.  
  
I averted my eyes. It was one thing when both people were involved with each other, but ... they weren't. Gods, I certainly didn't need to see this or cause poor Wufei any more embarrassment. Treize's looks were already growing longer and more intense. If I didn't get out of there now, who knew what Treize would do to him in front of me ...  
  
"Ah ... Treize? Wufei? Pardon me, but I think I would prefer to move around a little myself, if you wouldn't mind. If I could just have some assistance here -"  
  
"Oh, of course, of course, Sally." Treize leaned across his desk and hit a button on the intercom. "Send someone to my office, please, to escort Ms. Po out." He looked at me and smiled again, but it was obvious that he had no idea I was sitting there. Stretching a little, he moved his arm behind Wufei, resting it on the back of Wufei's chair.  
  
Wufei continued to look at the drawings, ignoring Treize's arm but clenching his fists. The dragon, though, wasn't as circumspect; it glared at Treize, waving away from the general as far as it could get.   
  
Sharp rapping drew my attention to the door. Trowa walked in, snapped to attention, saluted Treize then stood in front of his desk, waiting for orders.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Wheel her out of here, would you? The library would be good, or wherever she wants to go."  
  
"Hai, General." Trowa saluted again, then took the handles of my wheelchair, unfastened the brakes and backed me out of the room.  
  
But not fast enough that I didn't see the last thing Treize did to Wufei. As we were leaving, Treize leaned over and kissed Wufei full on the lips. Wufei struggled for several moments, his body stiffening.   
  
Treize looked like he was stroking the air with one hand, but I could see that what he was really doing was petting the dragon, smoothing his fingers down the creature's spine. Instantly, any resistance on Wufei's part evaporated and he relaxed into Treize's caress, melting against Treize's chest. The dragon quieted as well, appearing to arch into Treize's hand. Waves of invisible power throbbed through the door and into the hallway, crashing against me. It was horrible, frightening, suffocating - I couldn't breathe.   
  
"Take me to my room, Trowa," I whispered, closing my eyes and feeling my chest tighten again. "Please."   
  
Trowa was silent as he pushed me the entire way to my room. He chose to stop the wheelchair in front of the open French doors, then came around and inspected my face without touching me.  
  
"You are crying," he said, very matter-of-fact.  
  
"Yes. I am."   
  
"Why?"  
  
I gave him a tired glare, blinking back tears. Breathing was easier, but that enormous, pulsing power was still in the background, the one generated by Treize and Wufei. Gads. For a Fate, Trowa was terribly dense. He had no concept, no clue?   
  
"I - I have no effect on events here, Trowa. I can't help Wufei. I can't get us out of here. I - I am - hurting. Very much so. And there is nothing to do about it. So I am not - happy." Period. I looked away, down at the floor, somewhere else other than at him.   
  
He was quiet for a long moment. I could just see him studying me, a slight frown puckering his forehead. "Untrue. Wufei would not leave if not for you. You are the only reason he has not simply given up completely. Do not assume."  
  
It sounded as though he was finished speaking - actually, I thought he was - but then he leaned down and looked straight into my eyes. He did not touch me, but his gaze was penetrating and incisive enough that it felt as if he had opened my mind.   
  
"Humans are so strange," he murmured. "I never know what is going to bring you hurt. I am sorry, Sally."  
  
I smiled a little. That was the nicest acknowledgment I'd ever received from a non-human. Or a human, for that matter.  
  
"Thank you, Trowa."

* * *

It was a lovely day in spite of everything. I sat in front of the open French doors, listening to the sea for a long, long time, until the sun started to set.   
  
My bedroom door opened behind me. Soft rapping on the doorframe, with an equally soft, "Sally ...?" floated over to me.  
  
Turning, I saw Wufei standing uncertainly in the doorway, one hand on the doorknob. "Wufei!" I exclaimed, happy. "Please - please, do come in."  
  
His head bent, Wufei shuffled in and closed the door, very obviously not looking at me. He was wearing different clothes than he had worn a few hours ago, and his manner was hesitant.  
  
"Um ... if you're busy I ... I can come back. Or ..."  
  
"Wufei," I started gently, "I have nothing but time. I would be honored to spend it with you."  
  
The dragon, poor little thing, was hardly peeking over Wufei's shoulder.   
  
"If you're - sure ..."  
  
"Of course I'm sure. I'd come over to the door, but it's hard for me now. Won't you come in? Please?"  
  
"...you don't need to ask." Uncertainly, Wufei walked in and closed the door, the dragon still peeking over his shoulder. "You ... it's good to see that you're all right. I was worried."  
  
Trowa broke into my mind. _Be warned. He is upset. He is projecting.  
_  
...oh ... okay ... I wasn't sure what he meant, but I would be careful. I smiled. "Oh, I'm pretty tough, Wufei. It takes a lot to bring me down."  
  
Finally, Wufei met my gaze; huge, soulful eyes with a demeanor that was so subdued, so unlike his normal self that it was shocking. The dragon was still hiding around Wufei's neck, as if mortified to show himself, radiating shame and remorse. I wanted to coax him out, hug him, tell him that none of this was his fault even though he was blaming himself. That he was simply too talented, too beautiful and desirable for someone like Treize to see and not have. Treize simply took him because he wanted him and because he could.  
  
I couldn't, though - it would do no good, and it would not help him preserve what little dignity he had left.  
  
But there was another way I could help him. "Um .. here, Wufei - would you help me? I'd like to move from the chair to the bed, with my back to the wall, but I know I can't make it myself ..."  
  
Immediately, Wufei was at my side, practically lifting me off the floor, he was so strong. "Just relax, Sally. I've got you." He carried me from the chair to the bed and set me down very gently, taking care not to touch my bandaged side. As he carried me, I felt the dragon, for a brief moment, wrap around me as if giving me a hug. Wow, what an incredible feeling -   
  
"Wufei - sit here, beside me, please."  
  
_Trowa - that was true, wasn't it? He wanted to HUG me?_  
  
_Yes, Sally. He feels real affection for you. He loves you, as you love him.  
_  
Suddenly, Wufei grew in stature before my eyes. I smiled at him and felt my heart swell. Then realized HE was speaking to me, and now he was back to looking guilty and frowning again.  
  
" - things - happened - when you were in the hospital - "  
  
He needed a hug in the worst way, I decided. And then I saw the little dragon trying to hide around his shoulders, looking as if it was confused and consumed with shame and grief. I wanted to comfort him if I could.   
  
_You can touch the dragon, Sally. You and Treize are the only ones within 1,000 kilometers who can._   
  
"Wufei." I put my hand over his and stopped him. He swallowed, inhaling softly, all the while obviously in pain, trying to be stoic, holding his emotions in check.   
  
Wufei closed his eyes for a moment. His voice was hoarse, pained. "Sally ..." Without warning, tears dripped from under his eyelids and slithered down the side of his face. The dragon opened its mouth and wailed; that sound, that keening sound was so non-human and so anguished that it tore at my heart.  
  
Oh, Wufei .. Wufei ...  
  
I reached over and took him into my arms, hugging him fiercely. He was shaking, trembling; he collapsed against me, fists clenched and eyes squeezed shut, crying. The dragon, too, was still keening, its sorrow coming from the depths of Wufei's soul. The little creature, wrapped around me diagonally, was clinging for dear life.   
  
We hung on to each other and slowly lay down on my bed. Wufei pressed his head against my breasts and wept, that awful, gut-wrenching, broken sobbing when you know nothing you can do will ever make anything right again.  
  
Smoothing his hair back from his face, I soothed him as best as I could. "Wufei - Wufei," I whispered into his ear, "Wufei, we're going to leave this place, you and I, we're going to leave here soon. Duo's going to come and get us, and we're going to get out of here."   
  
After a few moments, Wufei was able to get his breathing and himself under control enough to respond. "Why? It's too late. I don't ... I - I can't -"  
  
"It is NOT too late, Chang Wufei!"  
  
- literally, for one, weird, moment, I was transported into another room I didn't recognize. It was lit by candles and warm, just so warm -   
  
"...f-failed. I - I - "  
  
Then whoosh! - I was back to reality, lying on the bed with Wufei. What happened - what was that?  
  
"No." I stopped him, putting a finger to his lips, shushing him for a moment. "You did NOT fail. We are leaving, and we will start over. You did NOT fail. You were overcome by -"  
  
- another sudden flash in my mind of Treize's quarters, the smell of peaches, and Wufei reclining on the sofa with very little on -   
  
"I did," he said miserably, pushing his head against my shoulder. "I failed. You don't KNOW, Sally. You don't know what I -"  
  
"Hush. It doesn't matter, Wufei," I broke in, keeping my voice soft, holding him close. "I don't care. You are important to me. I love you, no matter what."  
  
Images flew across my mind, harder and faster. Wufei's caramel skin against buff satin sheets; It was increasingly difficult to concentrate - this, apparently, was what Trowa meant when he said Wufei was 'projecting' - but I pulled back slightly so I could see his face, look into his eyes. "Wufei - "  
  
"No, Sally, you don't understand. I am such a fool. I FAILED, Sally, I -"  
  
"Wufei. Stop. In my eyes, you did not fail and you are not a fool. I don't suffer fools around me at all. You know me well enough by now to know that. Look into my eyes, Wufei, and tell me I don't love you." I put both hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at me, wiping away his tears with my thumbs. "You have saved me countless times, Chang Wufei. We fought OZ together, remember? We will get through this together. I will not leave you."  
  
Wufei wouldn't meet my gaze. The dragon hid its reddish gold face in Wufei's neck, almost like a small child.   
  
"I'm ... I'm dirty," he whispered. "I shouldn't be touching you at all."  
  
He tore at my heart. "No. Wufei, please, please - please, look." I reached out and touched the dragon, stroking its head gently with my finger, rhythmically.  
  
Wufei's eyes, dark and slightly unfocused, peered right at me. The dragon pressed its head against my hand, asking for more.  
  
"I love you," I said slowly, enunciating each word. "I believe in you. You are important to me, and I need you."   
  
Wufei's eyes flickered shut for a moment; he looked young, vulnerable. Frowning a little, I finally realized that petting the dragon shut down all conscious thought for Wufei, and I couldn't do that. No matter that the dragon wanted it - and he did, poor baby, nosing at me for more attention - I slowly withdrew my hand and just held Wufei in my arms.  
  
Recovering slowly, Wufei pressed his face to my chest and refused to look at me. "I don't know why you think that, woman. You're weird." His voice was plaintive and muffled, but his words were understandable.  
  
I chuckled. "Ah. Yes. That's very true."  
  
We lay in silence for a while, holding onto each other. Wufei's breathing finally became regular and even and he fell asleep, curled next to me, totally worn out. The dragon looked truly miserable. He rested, head down, chin on me, and seemed to sigh.  
  
Trowa's voice whispered in my mind. _Sally. Treize has left the island. It appears as though, humanly speaking, he will not return until tomorrow afternoon.   
_  
I looked over Wufei's shoulder to the doorway of the room, feeling both extreme relief and bitterness. _Good. Good. Then I'll call Duo from here, Trowa, and tell him to come get us. I don't care if the phone's tapped. We'll be gone before he gets back. He'll never find us. We'll be as far across the universe as we can possibly get.  
_  
_Indeed._ Trowa paused for a long moment. _Sally - Treize woke the dragon - something that is intended for a life mate. Erasing that bond will be difficult, if not impossible.  
_  
I was aghast, and clutched Wufei even tighter. Gads, there was no WAY I was going to let him go now. _What are you telling me, Trowa? That - that Treize, whatever he is, is NOW Wufei's life mate? WHAT?  
_  
That horrible, lecherous, whatever-he-was was going to claim Wufei as a mate? Not while I had breath in my body. I'd die before I let that happen.  
  
It felt as if Trowa sighed. _Your phone is about to ring.  
_  
That stopped me cold. _My - phone? But - but you said Treize took my phone ...  
_  
_He did. I put it back when it became clear you would be leaving soon. Otherwise, Treize would catch you - and if he did, he would have no mercy.  
  
_Gods ...  
  
The phone vibrated. Trowa was right - he did put the phone back, right where I always kept it. Wufei stirred, but only because now he was in a position to feel it. I shushed him with one hand, using the other to pull out the phone and flip the lid open. "Hello?" I whispered.  
  
"Unn?" Wufei opened his eyes blearily and blinked at the phone in my hand, then stared as he realized what he was seeing.  
  
"Hey - woo, first ring! Glad I got hold of you. See, there's this -"  
  
"Just a sec, Duo -" I held the phone between us, so Wufei could hear Duo as well as I could. His eyes widened. "Okay. We're ready. Go ahead."  
  
"That's - that's Maxwell?" Wufei whispered, sounding amazed.  
  
" ... Whoa. Do I hear Wufei? Man ..."  
  
"Yes, it's Wufei. Listen, Duo. We're in big trouble. When can you come get us?"  
  
There was a pause. "Eh? Um ... okay. THAT's spooky. I was thinking of - like - seeing if I could try in a week, or something. Give you time to convince Wufei -"  
  
"I'll go," he broke in. I stared at Wufei. He stared back, completely serious.  
  
"Okay. Did you hear that, Duo? He said he'd go. So come now - we're ready ."  
  
".... he .... what ..? Wait. Treize released him from his promises?"  
  
"No." Wufei swallowed, looking pained. "But - I never promised that I wouldn't be rescued."  
  
The line was silent for a long moment. "Something bad happened, didn't it ...?" Duo finally asked, his voice hardly audible.  
  
"Come get us, Duo," I said, feeling stretched and tight. "The sooner the better. Treize isn't on the island now - he's due back sometime tomorrow, so this would be perfect. Come now."  
  
"WHAT? Oh, man - okay, okay. Tonight. I'll be there tonight. Be outside - Wu, you know where. If you can be there around 11 PM, do it. I'll wait as long as I can -"  
  
"We'll be there, Duo."  
  
" -if not, that's okay - we'll try again tomorrow."  
  
"Don't leave us here, Duo," I whispered. "If we don't get out of here now, we never will."  
  
"....I gotta run. This is gonna take some doing. See you."  
  
We heard the dial tone as Duo hung up. Wufei was pensive, silent, staring at nothing. I rolled on my side, away from him, and put the phone away as discreetly as I could. Then I rolled back and took him in my arms again.  
  
"I didn't promise that."   
  
"I know, Wufei." Poor boy sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. "You are doing nothing wrong. You aren't leaving; someone else is taking you from the island."  
  
We lay together on the bed, children trying to comfort each other in the dark. I was thinking about the trip off the island. "We won't have any trouble leaving the house tonight, or any problem with the dogs since Treize introduced both of us to them."  
  
Wufei was very quiet. "He'll never do that again, to either of us. I'm breaking his trust."  
  
I blinked. "What?" Never DO that again? We're never going to SEE him again...  
  
He sighed and shook his head. The dragon actually hid his head against my neck. "We should rest. There's nothing here I need to bring."  
  
This was feeling weirder, and a little more frightening, by the moment. "Um .. Wufei. We brought nothing with us. We should take nothing away."  
  
After a few moments, Wufei spoke again. "He won't trust me next time," he said softly. "I suppose it's only right ..."  
  
"What are you talking about - next time? When do you think the 'next time' is going to be?" This conversation was taking a nasty turn, one I really didn't want to consider.  
  
"When he catch ... takes me again. He will."  
  
"No, he won't. We're getting you out of here, away from him. Period. End of discussion."  
  
"Yes - for now. I am buying my freedom with dishonor."  
  
"No, you aren't. You just said that -"  
  
Trowa interrupted my thoughts. _Problem. Treize is on the island.  
_  
I stopped speaking immediately, my eyes widening in fear. _WHAT?  
  
His transport is in Naples. He is supposedly in the hotel, resting, but he is here.   
_  
_Ohgodsohgods_ ... "Wufei. I - I believe - we have a slight ... difficulty ..."  
  
_He is coming to your room.  
  
GAAAAHHH...............  
_  
"Sit - sit up, Wufei. We both need to - that's right, that's good ... sit in the chair next to the bed, right there, Wufei ..."  
  
Wufei complied, but looked puzzled, especially at my hands that had just started to shake. "Sally ...?"  
  
There was a gentle knock on the door. My head shot up and I stayed quite still, not moving toward the door at all. I just stared at it as if it had burst into flame. I'm sure Wufei thought I lost my mind.   
  
" ...Sally? What's wrong?"  
  
_Treize is here, and he knows. Ruskin let him know. My cover is blown._  
  
Another gentle knock on my door, this one more insistent. Wufei stopped asking; one look at my face was all he needed to realize who was on the other side. He sat, rigid, his eyes huge, the dragon hunched around his shoulders and looking scared. If he had spines, they would have been sticking straight up in the air.   
  
Briefly, I wondered what would happen if I didn't answer the door. A vision of the door melting in place, or Treize simply materializing on our side popped into my head - and rather than have either one happen, I decided that I should simply open the door. It would be more ... dignified, at any rate. Taking a deep breath, keeping my chin up, I grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.  
  
Treize was there. He was leaning against the doorjamb, smiling down at me, with the type of smile that only a large cat playing with his food can make. His head was tilted slightly to the side, as if he was puzzled about something, but that smile was wicked and his eyes were fiendishly bright.   
  
"Sally - it's so good to see that you're mobile so soon!" His gaze was intense and it pierced me, cutting me to shreds, not allowing me to breathe.  
  
I was shrieking at myself, frozen inside, staring up at him. Damn, damn, DAMN, "mobil so SOON?" What kind of a moron was I, letting him see me like this?  
  
"May I come in?"  
  
For a millisecond, I debated whether or not I should say "no!" and slam the door. Good sense prevailed, though, so I glared at him sullenly, opened the door wider and said, "Come in," with as much enthusiasm as I usually muster for my trips to the dentist.  
  
"Thank you," he said, and strode past me toward Wufei. Wufei was being his sullen and unreadable best; the dragon, though, was not. That little creature was all but cringing when it spotted Treize.   
  
"I thought you left," Wufei muttered, glaring and scowling.  
  
"I did - but I forgot a few things." Treize halted in front of him and looked hard at Wufei, studying him for a long moment.  
  
_He is trying to decide whether or not to take Wufei to Naples.  
_  
Take Wufei WITH him ..? Without thinking about the consequences, I swept around Treize and stood next to Wufei, shielding him partially with my body, glaring up at him with all the anger I could muster.   
  
Treize raised his eyebrow, studying me for a moment, wearing that slight smile.  
  
I glowered back.  
  
"Do you really want to play this game, Sally?" he asked, his tone gentle. "The penalties are ... considerably higher than you think they are."  
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
Treize turned his attention back to Wufei. "Perhaps I should take you to Naples with me, Wufei. What do you think? A trip - a vacation off the island. Hm? Would you like to go?"  
  
Wufei snorted. "It's not safe for me off the island. You've made that clear."  
  
"Saa, this wouldn't be in public," he murmured, reaching out as if to rest his hand on Wufei's shoulder.   
  
The dragon hissed at him, drawing back. It was a tiny hiss, not very threatening, but it certainly got the point across. I moved closer to Wufei, still glaring.  
  
Treize grinned broadly, pulling his hand back. "Indeed?"  
  
"I would rather not go," Wufei said, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"Really?" He looked back and forth between us, looking increasingly amused. "You have something planned? It's not like you to refuse me without a reason, Wufei."  
  
"You asked," I interrupted coldly. "He said no."  
  
Treize turned his full attention on me. My heart beat faster. "It's not really his choice, now, is it, Ms. Po? As kind as I have been - and I think you must admit, I have been kind - both of you are my prisoners. Perhaps I should simply ... insist."  
  
So saying, Treize reached across and started to pet the dragon before either one of us could react, before the dragon had the chance to hiss at him again - and he did it while he was looking right at me. Daring me to say something to him, to stop him.   
  
Wufei wobbled in his seat. My heart was pounding in my chest as I stared at Treize. "I thought free will was something you valued, Treize -"  
  
"Oh, it is," he said, his voice soft and gentle, "but if if that privilege is abused ... whatever are you planning tonight, Sally Po? Nothing of which I would ... disapprove, I trust?"   
  
"Of course not!" I retorted.  
  
Treize turned to look at Wufei. Wufei blinked, then dropped his gaze to the floor.   
  
Trowa's voice was soft in my mind. _Flux ... all is on his decision_ ...  
  
Very softly, Treize's voice was in my mind as well. _I would appreciate if you would stop interfering in my affairs, Taru. Saa ... you HAVE been pushing the rules lately, haven't you?  
_  
Gods, oh gods ... did he know I could hear him? I swallowed and glanced up at Treize; he was studying Wufei's averted face, apparently coming to a decision.  
  
"Sally," he murmured.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Perhaps," he started gently, "some things need to be stated clearly ... before any action is taken."  
  
That sounded like the beginning of a threat. I swallowed but tried to project calm, saying nothing, just watching him. Calm, stay calm, Sally.  
  
_Don't do anything,_ Trowa whispered mentally. _Do not react - he wants a reaction. This is a test. If you pass this test, he will let you and Wufei go. You must be still, at all costs.  
_  
Faster than my eye could follow, Treize bent down, caught Wufei's chin with one hand and forced a kiss on him, petting the dragon with the other hand. Wufei's spine stiffened when Treize first touched him; but when Treize touched the dragon, Wufei relaxed into the kiss and responded.  
  
Treize did - something - and quite suddenly the dragon flared, its crimson color filling the room, so bright I couldn't see. As the brightness died down, I saw Wufei, limp against the back of the chair, an expression of ecstasy on his face, obviously forgetting everything and everyone else in the room.   
  
"The first thing, Sally, that you must understand ..." Treize spoke softly, nodding his head at Wufei and the dragon. " ... is that this - " and he pet the dragon, causing Wufei to shudder, "- is mine."   
  
He looked up at me to emphasize his point. I started breathing faster - I wasn't sure, it could have been the fading light from the dragon, but Treize's eyes did not appear to be completely blue.   
  
Ohgods.  
  
Treize straightened, took off his jacket and casually draped it over Wufei's lap - for modesty, you know, my brain babbled at me - then walked right over to me, leaving me no personal space whatsoever. I thought my heart was going to leap right out of my chest, it was beating so fast.  
  
_Don't move don't move don't move ...._  
  
"And second ... you are mine, too." He slid an arm around my waist and pulled me against him, looking deep into my eyes. "But, Sally - I don't want you like that." He caressed my cheek, watching my body respond to him as it always did with his predatory smile. "I would enjoy you very much, you know ... but you would break. I simply couldn't play with you as I'd like. And now," he said, pulling me closer, whispering in my ear, "you're trying to leave, unless I miss my guess, and I rarely do. Did you convince him, Sally? Or did he have this idea on his own?"  
  
_Don't ... say ... a word ...._ Trowa's voice was so quiet, barely a whisper in the back of my mind. I didn't dare breathe; I stared straight ahead, looking at Treize's broad shoulders.  
  
I heard Treize chuckle. He lifted my chin so I had no choice, I had to look right into his eyes. Treize brushed his lips across mine and murmured, "Nothing to say, Sally? Not one word for me?"  
  
My heart was pounding like a drum. He was so close, so close, and his eyes were so large, so blue ... I felt as if I was drowning, drowning in him. My knees were locked to keep my legs from shaking underneath me.  
  
" ... don't ... don't, Treize ..."  
  
Treize gave me a soft smile, caressing the side of my face with the back of his hand again. "Saaa ... I DO like you, Sally." His fingers moved through my hair to the nape of my neck, then he pulled my head forward gently and kissed me.  
  
"Treize! Please, Treize -"  
  
_Goodbye, Sally_ .... Treize murmured quietly in my mind as he let me go and turned to Wufei.  
  
"Please what, Wufei?"   
  
His voice was slightly hoarse. "... don't ... don't do that to her. Please ..."  
  
Gods. I realized at that moment that Wufei thought Treize was going to use me the same way Treize used him. My heart turned over in my chest.  
  
Kneeling in front of Wufei, Treize bent his head at an angle and looked at him. "And ... why not, Wufei?" he asked softly, amused.  
  
Wufei was tense, working on this problem, very focused. "Because ... I don't want you to."  
  
"Indeed? And is that enough?"  
  
".....PLEASE, Treize!"  
  
Smiling, chuckling, Treize brushed Wufei's face with his fingertips. "If you wish it, dragon. If you wish it, I will not. For you - hm? I promise ..."  
  
Wufei blinked back at him, looking, in turn, guilty and relieved.  
  
Treize continued, eyeing him, " ... in spite of your own."  
  
Wide eyed, Wufei stared at him, not breathing at all.  
  
"I know this isn't your choice, little one," Treize said gently. "You're forgiven." He stood in one smooth motion, patting Wufei on the shoulder, then sketched a bow to me. "Until we meet again," he said, raising his eyebrow, then turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the door open.  
  
I stared after him, not daring to move, hardly daring to breathe. Wufei was shaking as if he had palsy. The dragon was making quick, darting movements, looking side to side, panicking.   
  
"We - he - he's going to let us leave, Wufei." I whispered, not quite believing what I was saying.   
  
_It is true, Sally. He is going to let you go - and he has left you something. A present, of sorts._  
  
Hearing soft scratching and whining at the door, I looked over, feeling as if I was in a trance, and saw Koroso holding Jack by the scruff of his neck. He trotted into the room, looking at both Wufei and me, his eyes large and sad. After taking stock, Koroso sat down in the middle of the floor with a_ whump,_ Jack still dangling from his mouth.  
  
Both Wufei and I stared at the dogs. "What - what are you doing, Korosu? What are you doing with Jack?" I said, my voice quavering.  
  
Korosu only looked back with his huge, sad eyes. Unlocking my knees, I hobbled over to them and took Jack out of the older dog's mouth, ruffling Korosu's fur at the same time.  
  
Korosu woofed. Telling me I did the right thing, I mused.  
  
_You are correct. Jack is your present.  
  
Wha - what?  
  
The puppy. Korosu delivered him because he wanted to say goodbye. He knows you are leaving. The dogs will not recognize you as a friend if you return, except for the one you take with you.  
_  
Sudden tears stung my eyes. The dog did take a bullet for me, after all. I knelt down and ruffled Korosu's fur again with my free hand. "Take care of yourself, old man," I whispered. Korosu gave my face a big, sloppy lick, then nosed me once more. He trotted over to Wufei and barked at him once; Wufei, however, was not up to responding. Delicately taking Treize's jacket in his teeth, Korosu bobbed his head one last time and trotted out the door, his tail wagging.  
  
I took a shaky breath, walked over to the door and closed it, the tumblers clicking in place.   
  
"He's - allowing us to leave, Wufei. You know that." I leaned on the door, holding Jack in my hands, rubbing his head, feeling anything but calm.  
  
"Yes." Wufei's voice was hoarse. "He said I was forgiven. I ... but ... he knows I'm ... " He stopped and stared at me with an intense look as something else fell into place. "He thinks you're to blame for this!"   
  
"Ah .. yes. He does." I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. Oh, yeah, a demon thinks I'm taking his favorite toy away from him, no big deal ... "He blames me. I don't think it would be a good idea for us to be here when he gets back."  
  
"....we won't be. If we were, after he made it so clear ... he would consider it a weakness, and be - displeased - with us."  
  
And the way Wufei said THAT ... well. I didn't want to be around to find out what Treize was like when he was 'displeased.'   
  
"Right. I - I know, Wufei. But look - Treize gave me Jack as a going away present." I showed him the puppy. Jack wiggled adorably for Wufei and gave him his best puppy smile.  
  
"He ... did ...?"  
  
"Oh, yes, he did. Right, Jack?"  
  
The puppy barked, a happy dog hearing his name.  
  
_Yes, he did. And I must be terribly careful now. He knows I have taken human form, so I can be destroyed or subdued. I will find you later. I am taking my own route away from here.  
  
_Within moments, sirens of all kinds went off around the complex. I stared, whirling around wide-eyed, clutching Jack.   
  
"What the hell was THAT?" Leaping at the window, Wufei plastered himself against the pane and watched swarms of Specials running everywhere. "Sally - look! Someone's stealing a helicopter!"  
  
"What?"  
  
It was the sleek black turbo machine, the fastest one on the base. It soared into the air, looking like a great black bird of prey, dipped toward the ground once then rocketed into the sky.  
  
_...Trowa?...  
  
Yes, Sally. Farewell for now._  
  
Jack was barking and wiggling, trying to bound out of my arms and chase the helicopter.   
  
"Jack! Stop! Calm down, Jack, calm down!" I rubbed his head and watched the aircraft until it was out of sight. "That was Trowa in that helicopter, Wufei. He got away. We have to leave, too. I don't think we have as much time as we thought." Another thought struck me, and I gasped at him in alarm. "Wufei - I can't hold a gun, or any kind of weapon because of this." I brandished my left wrist at him; that plain gray band that Treize put on me when I tried to kill him.  
  
Wufei frowned a little in concentration and looked over at me. "That's all right - I don't expect you to. I'm trying to remember where we need to meet Maxwell." The dragon mimicked Wufei's expression, curling around his neck and furrowing its small brow. "We'll have to get wet - and be careful with the dog."  
  
"That's all right," I said, nodding. "I can swim. I'm sure he can, too."  
  
"No, no. You won't need to swim. He might, though. He's too small."  
  
I looked at Jack. He yawned, showing all his wicked looking teeth at once. Even for a puppy, those teeth were pretty scary.   
  
"He'll be fine." I scratched Jack's head and back, giving him a fond look.  
  
"Let's go now," Wufei said, his voice soft, "and just ... wait. I'll tell the guards that I'm teaching you meditation techniques. And I will."  
  
I blinked. "Well ... okay. You will?"  
  
Wufei nodded, still looking outside. "Of course. We need an excuse to be standing in knee deep water. I have gone out there before, so they are used to it."  
  
"Um .. okay," I said, doubtful.  
  
Turning, Wufei looked at me closely. "You need to wear something you don't mind getting soaked." Reaching at his waist, Wufei dragged his shirt over his head, leaving his tank top on, then sat on the bed and started to remove his shoes.   
  
Following his example, I put Jack on the bed, sternly saying, "Now, stay there, Jack - don't hop off."  
  
Jack whuffed, wagged his tail and sat down obediently. He looked like he was smiling at me.   
  
Suppressing an incredulous stare - good heavens, the dog understood me completely - I poked through my drawers to find something suitable for wading through knee high water at night. Yanking out a pair of dark cotton pants, I shucked off my old pants and pulled those on, not caring that Wufei was there. I had to be careful of my bandage on my side as well. I was still pretty stiff and sore, and there was a little blood on my dressing.  
  
Be careful, Po. The last thing you want to do is break your stitches.   
  
I left my tee shirt on and pulled the drawstring loosely on my pants. I slipped on a zippered sweatshirt, opened my arms and quietly murmured, "Come here, Jack. It's time to go."  
  
Jack jumped into my arms and happily licked my face.   
  
"Let's go, Wufei."  
  
Sand was swirling under my feet as the tide tugged at my ankles, trying to pull me out with the water as we marched along a sandbar on the opposite side of the island. Even though I had lived on this island several months and explored every inch - or so I thought - I never realized this sandbar existed. Apparently, though, Wufei met Duo here every now and then.   
  
This sandbar was long, running at least a half kilometer from the main body of the island. Wufei led the way out, splashing lightly in the surf.  
  
"It used to be part of the mainland thousands of years ago," he explained, nodding to the shoal, water rippling around his legs.   
  
" - and it turned into a land bridge?" I asked, curious in spite of my enormous haste. I wanted to be off the island and out of there NOW. There was nothing that could be soon enough for me.  
  
"Not a complete one, no. It stops two kilometers out. Ships have to sail all the way around it."  
  
"Ah. A nice, natural, protective shield."  
  
"Of course."  
  
We walked in silence for several minutes, Jack's panting and the surf the only other sounds around us. The sun set in a blaze of red and golds while we slogged in the water. I felt the need to say something, to keep talking. Anything except thinking about what just happened and why we were there.  
  
"Are we meeting Duo at the end, or will he pick us up anywhere along here?"   
  
Wufei didn't answer. I sighed and kept trudging, figuring that he'd answer when he was ready, and steadfastly refused to dwell on anything else.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Wufei finally spoke. "Here - we are at the end. At least, as deep as I'm willing to go. We can still sit here. The sandbar continues out farther, but by the end, the water is up to your neck while you are standing. When you sit here - " and Wufei demonstrated, sitting down, "- as you can see, the water only comes up to my chest. Possibly a little higher on you, but not much."  
  
I sat down, and found that the water came up to my collarbone. "Well ... this is okay," I said. "But Jack is all wet."  
  
Jack wriggled and did not look happy. The poor little puppy was trying to be a good sport about the situation, but he couldn't help whining and shivering, at least a little. He was totally immersed in water except for his head, and he did get dunked several times - and when that happened, the only thing I could do was try and dry him off with my cheek.   
  
We waited for what seemed like hours. It wasn't - not really - but sitting in water that turned progressively colder made it feel that way. The sun was setting when we left the mansion, and by the time I thought Duo should have shown up, the moon was high in the sky and the sea was cold.  
  
"He is coming."  
  
Wufei whispered the words to me, but even without them, I could tell. The surging of the water had changed; it was lapping harder against my shoulders, making little splashes with waves from the opposite direction.   
  
"Ready, Jack?"   
  
I carefully unfolded my legs and pushed myself up, snuggled Jack against my chest, and followed Wufei over to a large, dark object that silently thrust out of the water not four meters away from us. It was quite a shock, too - there had been no warning at all, just the slight flaring of the dragon and its head position, from looking listlessly to the left to suddenly, purposefully staring at its left land side.  
  
It was hard walking for the first couple of strides; I had to be careful that I didn't drop Jack and that I kept my footing without shoes. Then I saw the mini-sub, and the feeling of incredible, heartfelt relief that swept over me nearly knocked me off my feet once again.  
  
The hatch was shoved open and Duo's head popped out.  
  
"Shhh .... hurry, hurry, HURRY, both of you! We don't got TIME!"   
  
As if to emphasize his point, faint barking floated over to us from the island, puppy and adult dog barking combined. The alarm had been sounded.  
  
"Heero's gonna -"  
  
And then a sudden explosion shook the ground, rumbling the depths of the sea around us, causing a bright orange fireball to blossom in the sky, black smoke drifting around it.   
  
" - blow." Duo sighed, a true, long suffering exhale.   
  
I stumbled forward. "What the hell -"  
  
"What, you think we'd leave without dropping a going away present for your friends? Come ON, guys!"  
  
" ... I ... I ... " Wufei stammered, staying where he was.   
  
Ohgods. "Wufei - we have to leave -" I grabbed one arm and started to yank him toward the minisub, Jack in my other arm, " - right now." Floundering together through waist high water, Wufei and I lurched toward the minisub. He wasn't pulling away from me, but he wasn't charging toward the sub, either. I knew what was happening, but I saw that Duo was trying to work it out by the incredulous look on his face.  
  
"Didn't say he couldn't be ... oh, geez - for the love of HELL, Wu - are you fucking kidding me?"   
  
"Duo, grab his arms and pull him IN!"  
  
Hooking his feet on the edge of the sub's ladder, Duo leaned out as far as he possibly could. "Criminey, Wu, move it a little faster, the entire PLACE is on fire! Good, good - "   
  
I pushed and Duo pulled - and that was the only way Wufei tumbled into the top of the minisub. He took his promises very seriously, and would not help in his own rescue, acting instead like a limp rag doll his rescuers had to physically toss into the sub.  
  
Duo whistled, a low, clear sound, lifting his head and looking toward the island after Wufei was inside. "Man.... Heero really did the job. C'mon, Sally, your turn."  
  
I was on the side of the minisub, handing Jack to Duo, and turned to look at the island one last time. It was quite a sight.  
  
The mansion and all the buildings that I could see were completely involved in flames. Bright plumes of orange flame blazed in the night, with large, thick clouds of smoke rising into the air, forming what looked like a huge mushroom cloud painted against the night sky, blocking out the stars. And against that noxious cloud - against that cloud of boiling, hot gases and ash - was Treize.  
  
I stared and stared, and felt all the blood rush away from my face. I knew Duo wasn't seeing this.  
  
This was not the Treize I saw a few hours ago. This was the Treize that Trowa had shown to me in that vision, the Treize that was immortal. This Treize was bronze, and had wings, and in the sky above that mushroom cloud, laughing at me. I could see him clearly - I shouldn't have been able to see him that clearly, not at that distance, but I could - and he was smiling, and laughing, and letting us get away.  
  
_Letting us get away?  
_  
That was it. All the shocks and surprises of the past day caught up with me, and I had reached my limit. My self-control was stripped away as my jaw dropped in pure horror and I shrieked at Duo, scrabbling for a handhold, trying to launch myself headfirst into the sub.  
  
_"Get us OUT of here - get us OUT of here, NOW!"_  
  
Once I was inside, I stood on the deck next to Duo, staring without seeing anything around me, urgently needed to get to Wufei.  
  
"Gods, Sal, you're shaking -"  
  
"Wufei - where's Wufei, where is he, where is he, where IS he?"  
  
"Calm down, Sal, he's here, you saw him get in, we'll find him. Come on, Sal, watch your step -".   
  
Things started to blur together from this point. The inside of minisubs were small and cramped, necessarily so; I turned and saw Wufei and Heero staring at each other across a space no larger than a meter, eyeing each other as if they were strangers. Heero's face didn't change - there was no indication that he was going to do anything at all - but without warning, Heero swung and hit Wufei full in the mouth.   
  
Wufei saw it coming. He could have defended himself, but he chose not to. Instead, he let Heero hit him, and lurched into the side of the vessel, then slid to the floor.  
  
"NO!" I screamed, grabbing for Heero, "what are you -" But that was the last thing I clearly remember, because I slipped and fell heavily on my side - the side where I was shot - and incredible pain blocked every other sensation from my mind.  
  
"What the fuck are you people DOING? COME ON! We've got to get OUT of here!" Duo shouted at Heero and Wufei, scowling at both of them.   
  
I groaned and tried to push myself up, only to find that Duo was there first.   
  
"Come on," he said, "let's get you taken care of, too." His frown deepened when he saw my side. "What's that?"  
  
"She was shot," Wufei snapped, glaring at Duo, right at my side.  
  
"Shit - doesn't anyone tell me ANYthing? Here - Wu - help me with her - " Duo and Wufei dragged me over to a gurney, strapped me on it and hooked me up to an IV drip bag immediately. Duo checked my side quickly, made sure the gurney was secure, then moved forward to his position to pilot the sub. Wufei sat next to me and closed his eyes, exhausted.  
  
I lay there for a few moments, feeling nothing but exhausted, relieved, and ... afraid.   
  
My voice was hoarse. "Duo," I called. "Duo. Where are we?"  
  
"Getting the hell out of here. How's that?'  
  
Heh. I started to feel a little easier. "That's ... yeah. Good. As far as possible. To the ends of the earth would be great."  
  
He chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Gonna do you one better. We're not gonna be anywhere NEAR the Earth when this is done."  
  
He gunned the motor. I felt the ship veer off in one direction, and then the auxiliary rotors came online. Gads, this was one powerful little sub. With any luck, we'd be putting hundreds of kilometers between us and that island in a matter of minutes.   
  
I was fading fast. He must have put something else in that drip other than medication. "What ... what do you mean?"  
  
"How do the colonies sound to you, Sally Po?"  
  
I smiled a little as I fell asleep, knowing Wufei was next to me. "They sound just fine, Duo. Just fine."


End file.
